After two weeks of recovery from my trip to Japan, I hopped in the car and drove 2,440 miles across the U.S. My husband and I (along with my nephews, Britton and Jordan and a friend) drove from Memphis, Tennessee to Sacramento, California last week. Having seen the landscapes of America and Japan recently I can fairly say the two cannot be compared. Both countries are beautiful in their own way. I watched the sun set over the city of Tokyo and was amazed by the beauty of the reflecting light off the skyscrapers as they lit up for the night. The scenery is equally as gorgeous in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona where the sunset lasted for four hours and brought tears to my eyes. The site of the Grand Canyon took my breath away in the same way as many of the sites I saw in Japan. I have had the great fortune to see these two unique and amazing places on Earth. There are not enough words to describe my gratitude for the opportunities that I have been blessed with this summer. I have truly been inspired by the beauty I have seen.
The Earth can be described as both large and vast, as well small and vulnerable. I experienced the large, vast lands of the globe in my hours and hours and hours of traveling from country to country and state to state. In New Mexico, we saw 360 degree views of open landscape without a building or tree obscuring the horizon. Then, just when I thought "Man, Earth is huge!" we stopped to see a meteor crater in Arizona. This crater was created by an 80 foot meteor. The crater is 1.2 km in diameter and is estimated to have been created around 20,000 years ago. Seeing the meteor crater certainly reminded me of how small and vulnerable our world is. And, I have never felt so small as when I stood on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It is interesting to me that these two places (Japan and the U.S.) so far apart can be infinitely different yet equally fascinating in culture, scenery, and beauty.
I am more convinced than ever that we must do what we can to preserve its beauty by conserving natural resources, producing less trash, and reducing pollution. The Earth is precious and worth the effort.
My nephews, Britton and Jordan at the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Me, on the rim of the meteor crater in Arizona. This huge hole was created by a meteor that fell from outer space over 20,000 years ago.
2 comments:
Have a great trip to Japan. Roy.
Hi Christina,
I'm glad to hear that you made it across the country ok! My wife and I lived and taught in Tuba City Arizona and we spent a lot of time in the Grand Canyon and I agree completely with sunsets bringing tears to the eye!
I hope your transition goes well and the new future is bright, like sunset of a Tokyo skysraper.
Take care and keep in touch,
JFMFer compadre'
Tom Meagher
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