Exploring Alaska and Yellowstone Park Series: Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Lake (14)

Continuing our expedition through the captivating wonders of Yellowstone Park, our next destination is the mesmerizing Grand Canyon, which holds the No.1 spot among dozens of scenic spots in Yellowstone Park. John Muir once described the mountains of the West in this way, "The tranquility of nature will flow into you as the sun flows into the trees. The winds will blow you with their freshness, the storms will blow away their energy, and troubles will fall from you like autumn leaves." (John Muir, 1894, California Mountains) I can't wait to see the beauty.

Standing on the footprints left by Roosevelt and Muir, Yellowstone Grand Canyon leaves me in awe. The distant waterfall brings to mind a poem by Li Bai (701—762 A.D.), a renowned poet from China's Tang Dynasty. "The sunlit Censer Peak exhales incense like cloud; Like an upended stream the cataract sounds loud. Its torrent dashes down three thousand feet from high. As if the Silver River fell from the blue sky." (Tr. Xu Yuanchong) Its beauty evoked a profound sense of freedom, empowering my imagination to transcend its boundaries. I recognized that while those waterfalls could be harnessed for electricity generation, their ability to free and uplift the human spirit outweighed the benefits of affordable power. By preserving these natural landscapes, we not only protected their intrinsic beauty but also nurtured our own spiritual connection to nature.

To capture this unforgettable moment, I approached an American passerby and asked him to take a photo for me. Hoping to capture the depth and scale of the canyon, I requested that he hold the camera high. Just as the person had difficulty finding the right angle, a towering figure over 2 meters tall emerged from the group behind him and grabbed the camera, taking a picture of me from an even more remarkable angle. I commend his choice of perspective because he knows that in that place, only he can complete this task, and he beamed with pride. In that instance, I was reminded of the Confucian philosophy of "The gentlewoman helps others to achieve what they want" which perfectly reflected the American who helped me take the photo. He became forever etched in my memory, intertwined with the beauty of the Grand Canyon.

With a sense of anticipation fueling our hearts, we bid farewell to the awe-inspiring Canyon Country and set our course towards Yellowstone Lake. This magnificent lake, boasting the title of the largest inland lake in Yellowstone National Park, rested at an altitude exceeding 2,300 meters. The picturesque region beckoned us with its pristine lakes, surrounding us with an atmosphere of serenity and tranquility. As I stood on the shores of those peaceful lakes, my thoughts wandered to Thoreau's description of Walden Pond, and I found myself immersed in a profound sense of peace and serenity.

Occasionally, a few calls broke through the tranquility. It was a few Canada geese who migrated to live here. Looking at their charming posture in the sky, I couldn't help but recite the poem "Wild Geese" by American poet Mary Oliver.

"You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

?

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

?

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things."

As a traveler, I departed Yellowstone Park with hearts touched by the wonders of nature. Carrying with me a sense of awe and love. I will come back one day and continue to chant those immortal poems.