Canyon Reflection, Caroline Neubauer

Canyon Reflection by Caroline Neubauer

As I jolt with the rhythm of the crashing waves, freezing water pours down on me, coating me in a jacket of fear and excitement. I’m in a raft with my family, our paddles moving in unison, the only rhythm in this tumultuous maze of water. We top the last rising dome and eddie out in the shadow of the canyon towering above. Our success is buzzing in the air as we relive our perfect run. We head down the river a little farther and stop on a sandy bank to eat lunch. Sitting on a rust colored rock, my feet in the icy and refreshing water, we enjoy our meal.

With our bellies full, we hike up a little side canyon. After climbing up the sandy and steep cliff my breath catches in my throat. My mind clears of all previous thoughts, now seemingly insignificant, as I struggle to take in all of the immeasurable beauty of this paradise in front of me. The canyon is layered in colors, each with subtly differing tones casting a spell on me. The walls bend and curve, giving life and movement to the otherwise stationary rock. Streams of crystal water flow through this canyon gathering in pools and spilling over boulders, creating a real-life painting not even my imagination could cook up. We all sit in silent awe soaking up the immense beauty sprawling around us. Eventually we get up to explore. Racing through the water, I try to memorize every part of this moment, every mind-blowing detail.

As my legs propel me through the mini canyon I feel as strong as the rocks themselves, as if I’m as beautiful as the dark green plants elegantly cascading down the rockface to lightly touch the immaculate water. In this canyon I am beautiful not because of my appearance or the feeling that I have achieved any “social standards”, but because these standards are stripped away like the canyon walls, leaving bare layers of my true colors. With no one expecting me to be more or any different than I am, an invisible shadow extends its dark wings and lightly flies away. In this canyon as I explore and absorb every feature with my family by my side, I gaze into a liquid mirror, yet instead of seeing my appearance reflected my eyes only find my true being, my soul, and that is truly beautiful.