Earlier this year my family and I camped at Stonybrook Park in upstate New York.  It is a spectacular park with beautiful waterfalls, thousands of slate rock stairs, a dramatic gorge and a one-of-a-kind open water pool where water temperature never exceeds 57 degrees. (brrrrrrrrr!)

During our walk through the gorge we stopped at a waterfall to play and splash, and to make some public art.

In front of the waterfall there was tree trunk. It was in the center of a dry spot, surrounded by rocks, and graced with many large rocks. I couldn’t resist: My creative heart took over and I had to rearrange the rocks to make a peace symbol from nature… to make a statement.

I stood back and looked at my creation –and feeling quite pleased with myself– I hoped that future passersby would regard this work of art, contemplate the seeming randomness of it  and be moved to some kind of peaceful act in their own lives. (Ok, LOL, perhaps I was a little TOO full of myself, but full disclosure is funnier isn’t it?)

I took a photo of the re-arranged rocks … carefully and thoughtfully positioned just so–and then joined my family who were already way above the waterfall, calling me to catch up with them. After a couple minutes trek UP, I reached the point above the waterfall where I could turn around and look back at my work of art from above.

I could see a large family splashing about in the water where my peace symbol gently lay waiting to be discovered.  A boy, about 12 years old, ran up to my creation and without any hesitation or contemplation WHATSOVER he completely knocked all the rocks off the trunk and onto the ground and proceeded to throw the rocks into the water.

AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh! OH NO!!!!!!!

HEY….. GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!!!!!! I thought to myself.

With each waft of his arms, I felt my ego and my significance hit the ground. I was horrified.

He was as equally in the moment as I had been.

Quickly (and thankfully) I found the whole situation really funny and amusing and began laughing out loud.  I mean, there I was all full of my own meaning and my significance, enjoying my interaction with the natural elements… hoping that somehow my creativity and intention would be felt by others. And there he was totally free and in the moment, full of life and movement.

The whole situation was really very funny.

Like a sand mandala, the deconstruction of my inner peace reminded me of the impermanence of all things,

I am grateful to this moment and the photos, but especially to the boy who reminded me to keep my ego in check AND also that I need to LIGHTEN UP!

He also makes to wonder … what do I unknowingly destroy?!

(Umm, yeh beck, you really do need to lighten up! LOL!)

peace out,
ɛïɜ becky ɛïɜ