Healing through hiking Grand Canyon
My essay in "Call of the Canyon," the Grand Canyon Newsletter
#MyGrandCanyonStory
A year ago Thanksgiving—November 2021—Arthur and I and our good friends Nathan and Julia hiked down and up Grand Canyon. The trip was incredible, not only for the truly awe-inspiring natural beauty, but for how it restored me to a sense of the person I was before cancer. The piece I wrote about the trip just came out. Read the intro from the newsletter and then click the link below for the whole essay.
From “Call of the Canyon”
#MyGrandCanyonStory
In November 2021, Theresa, a breast cancer survivor, accepted an invitation from a friend to hike down into the canyon and back up. This was the first time she had been to Grand Canyon as an adult, and she immediately fell in love with it.
"My first view of it was literally breathtaking. Rays of light came in from the east, sending illumination out over the canyon’s steep vertical walls, turning shadowed stone into colored rock. It resembled watching a flower open in time lapse photography, as the canyon’s immensity slowly revealed itself in jagged edges, rising formations of rock, tunneled crevasses, all with striations of color throughout."
Having never made a journey like this before, and being weakened by treatments, Theresa wasn't sure she would be able to finish the hike.
"Part of me had been so sure I would fail, that cancer and its treatment had made me intrinsically weak. But Grand Canyon showed me I was wrong. It was not just the hike, though—let me be clear—it was the challenge of the hike, plus the canyon itself."
Now Theresa is making plans to go back in May to hike rim-to-rim and says the canyon's beauty inspired her in ways she had never imagined.
"The beauty of the canyon can only be personally experienced through hard work, similar maybe to needing hard treatment for the relief of no longer having cancer. It didn’t work out quite that neatly in my mind, but via the hike I learned two things: my body could meet a physical challenge, and the world is full of natural wonder. The combination of struggle and awe healed me."
When asked why she supports Grand Canyon Conservancy, Theresa had this to say.
"Since I'm in love with Grand Canyon I want to help preserve its beauty. Giving to Grand Canyon Conservancy lets me participate in stewardship of the canyon. It is a national treasure and needs tender loving care. I'm proud to contribute."
Read Theresa’s full story here.
Share your own Grand Canyon story, or your story of a post-illness transformation in the comments.
Our upcoming trip this May
We return to Grand Canyon in May, though we won’t be able to hike rim-to-rim because of all the snowfall on the North Rim that damaged the trail and left debris. I’m disappointed, but it’s not bad to have a reason to go back another time. For the trip in May I plan to carry a heavy backpack, forego my morning Earl Grey and sleep in a tent! I much prefer a bed (well, who doesn’t, really?), but some experiences are worth a little discomfort and hiking Grand Canyon is one of them.
More photos of our trip from Nov. 2021
Spring seems to definitely be here. Feeling inspired, I bought lilacs to plant, hydrangeas and a honeysuckle. We have just enough yard to make it fun.
Hugs to all,
Theresa
Theresa, although I saw your post when it first appeared, I only tonight finished reading the full article published about your Grand Canyon hike. I was so struck by how vivid your descriptions were of not just the scenery of the place, but also of your inner dialogue recounting the whole experience of the trip. I have always admired your opinions and observations on the healthcare topics you discuss; this, however, was an opportunity to appreciate the elegance and craft of your writing style. Thank you for sharing such a personal journey with all of us.
“Part of me had been so sure I would fail, that cancer and its treatment had made me intrinsically weak. But Grand Canyon showed me I was wrong. It was not just the hike, though—let me be clear—it was the challenge of the hike, plus the canyon itself”.
Theresa, this quote is just so wonderful...and so happy you experienced this. There is stanza from Galway Kinnel that reminds me of your quote: “for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness". So often, our reclamation, in whatever form, includes being reminded of our loveliness.