"The appearance and interpretation of beauty in nature is a matter of the creative mind’s willingness to reflect upon the primeval. Reflect not just upon the earliest ages in the history of the world, that over time evolved with brilliance into the weathered scene which appears before you. Simultaneously turn inward to your own primeval depths as well, for the appearance of what is beautiful must come from within, as you interpret the reflective history of your weathered self against it – a beauty as varied as Nature itself. Even if you return over and over to the same scene months or years later to be present to it again, its beauty will always be new and unique – but only if you slow down and look within again, for the world and yourself both have aged.” ~ Jack Mountain.

Don't adjust your color, YES, the water of Havasu Creek is actually this color blue. Located within the Havasupai Native American Nation at the Western end of the Grand Canyon, the creek runs through the village of Supai, flowing into the Colorado River. Havasupai translated means “land of the blue-green water” and the creek is well known for this color and distinctive travertine formations. This is due to large amounts of calcium carbonate in the water that formed the limestone that lines the creek and reflects its color so strongly. This also gives the creek an interesting feature, as it is ever changing! This occurs because any items that fall into the stream mineralize very quickly, causing new formations and changing the flow of the water. This causes the creek to never look exactly the same from one year to another.

In my own introspection of myself, the creek, its people, and society-at-large, I become present to a thoughtful lesson realized: the hardness in this water through the canyon is like the hardness that can run within me and my canyonesque soul. With hardness in my veins, it effects the winding and altering flow of my life, building up resistance and structures over time to change my course through life, with little ability to dissolve past obstacles that now direct my present and future. In this moment of Autumn glowing decay and colorful waters, similar to my aging, while the creek has no control of its makeup, I wonder about changing my alchemy within, softening the edges, and setting my own waters on a more consistent path.