Top of the world

 Feeling on top of the world- hiking with my grandson Dillon

Have you ever wondered where the Lord must have been when standing when he created this beautiful world?  I love the tops of mountains because of the magnificent views below.  I think he must have done his creating from that vantage point.

    Many years ago I had the opportunity to travel to Chile.  On one particular day we decided to just see the country side and drove deliberately out of the city, about 1/2 hour later we noticed a large amount of buildings all clustered together and they all looked identical.  They were 20 to 30 stories high and as we drove closer and closer we realized it was probably a government housing complex because every building was exactly the same.  I thought how much I hate sameness.  How would you even know which apartment on which street was yours.  They all looked identical, street after street, nothing different, no trees, no bushes, just tall tall buildings and stores on the main level.  I bet there were over 40,000 people that lived in that complex.

      We left that area and headed up the mountain side, not knowing where we were going but out of the rat race of sameness.  About 5 miles up we noticed that someone had painted a message on a large rock.  It was a scripture from the beatitudes.  Then a little further we saw another scripture, and another, all painted very carefully so anyone driving could read them.  Next was arrows pointing ahead\ with messages such as...200 more feet stop if you love Jesus....100 more feet, stop and read the words of the Savior.  My curiosity got the best of me so I had my brother (designated driver) pull over at the pointed spot.

      There were dozens of messages from the New Testament and a very clear pathway leading us somewhere.  We followed the path over the side of the mountain and as it began to descend I saw the most beautiful view of the ocean I have ever seen in my life.  It almost took my breath away.  Then I noticed that the scriptures were on every rock leading me to a little home-made haven to sit and take in the view.  Someone even put a covering over it to provide shade.  I sat down in the little chair (looked like a tossed out school chair and desk) and there was a "register" to sign in, covered in plastic along with the New Testament.  I signed my name and looked out over the ocean and wondered "If I was God and had to find a place to create the oceans, I think I would probably sit here to do it.  Oh how I would have liked to be there as the sun was setting, but we never made it back that way again.

My mother and father overlooking the ocean

My brother Brian 

I just imagined that someone from that housing project was like me and couldn't stand the sameness of everything, he(or she) found this little piece of heaven on earth, walked up 5 miles with the desk and chair and some paint and spend some quality time in the scriptures contemplating the meaning of  life.