Meet the quiet heroes of the natural world...

Across our travels, one common encounter worldwide is often not one you’d imagine: Rocks. They are everywhere and often catch my attention because of their unique shape, smoothness/roughness, color, location, or sometimes to admire their stillness or the context they emerged from (i.e., volcanic rocks). My fascination with Rocks began in college. At Brigham Young University in Utah, we hiked for leisure day and night – well, that was the best free activity a student living on a $100 budget a month could enjoy with no limit. Upon graduation, I graduated to the “real big” rocks as I visited Arches National Park – these breathtaking formations among others from millions of years ago are some of nature's finest masterpieces.?

A little primer about rocks?

Rocks big and small are the building block of our planet, and we (humans) have been using them since the beginning of civilization. As we continue to co-evolve alongside rocks, there is much to appreciate and be inspired by these innate elements. At the micro-level, rocks are made up of minerals, yet it’s hard to imagine that, especially when standing in front of a huge boulder. Hiking through caves makes it real for me. The intricate alignment and interlacing of stalactites and stalagmites as water creates these rock formations one drop at a time.?

The inner underground world of Timpanogos Caves in UT

Nothing seems more lifeless than a rock. It’s inanimate. It’s the antithesis of a living thing. But we are beginning to realize that rocks played an absolutely fundamental role in the origin of life,” Robert Hazen

Rocks are the epitome of the circle of life?

Believe it or not, the mineral phosphorus is present in the DNA of all living organisms making it one of the essential nutrients for both animal and plant life. It’s kind of cool to know that we’re made of Rock. Through the natural process of weathering, phosphorus is released into the environment. Over the [past hundreds of millions] years, rain, wind, earthquakes, and chemicals continue to break down rocks, releasing phosphates which then flow into the soil. Plants feed off this nutritional goodness; then, animals feed off the plants. When living things die, the phosphorus is distributed back through the soil, where plant roots can once again take up the life-giving element. On a geological timescale, phosphorus runs into the ocean, collecting in sediments and eventually becoming compressed, consolidated, and recycled into new Rock. Wow!?

Inspiration:?How might one embrace life and be transformed and rebuilt by Earth’s forces???

Rocks create biodiversity

Just look around, and I’m sure you’ll attest that the magnificent variation of rock types and landscapes is infinite. They have a significant impact on biodiversity. For example, looming cliffs provide nesting opportunities for endangered seabirds; hidden caves are home to dark-adapted bats, fish, and spiders. Even today, many new species are discovered in these damp, secret habitats. Many plants creep up on barren Rock following a volcanic eruption as ashes play the role of fertilizer, and new life then emerges and flourishes. It can be easy to take the vast rocky structures surrounding us (no matter where we live) for granted. But they hold the mystery of life to many creatures that influence our everyday lives even without our knowing.?

?Inspiration: Grateful for the Rocks - they hold life on our planet. All creatures, great or small, thank the Rock - every day!?

Rocks clean water and filter out impurities.?

We’ve each probably, at some point in our life, sipped or gulped “spring water” – Thanks to underground aquifers, we have access to clean and pure water worldwide.?Our basic life necessity relies on rocks. They even go the extra mile to protect our ecosystem - they filter pollutants, naturally manage excess water during storms, control flood events, and slow the flow of water, reducing potential damages. This cycle happens naturally and effortlessly for rocks as they continually seek to help maintain balance and equilibrium for our planet.?

Inspiration:?How can we continually let go of things that don’t serve us well (the pollutants) so we can thrive and abundantly flow??

Water shapes rocks?

Rocks are rolled, sanded down, and shaped by waves in the ocean. Just like being rubbed with sandpaper, these rocks are worn smooth over time, pounded by countless pebbles and sediments, and from the abrasive effect of saltwater. Rocks endure hardships and receive fractures and breakages, yet they emerge smoothened, honed, and resilient against the elements. This process can also be observed when water crashes down on rocks as waterfalls tumble down a cliff-face.

Even the most polished and beautiful Rock might not yet be at its final stage. One of the harshest erosive processes grinds rock sediments and creates sand. Sandy beaches provide humankind joy and awe; we often associate such beaches with the “perfect” vacation. The tiny sand components make a magnificent whole, yet rocks take on a new life form.

Inspiration: Accepting the impermanence of life is a gift. Life is constantly unfolding.?

Every Rock tells a story

Each Rock, big or small, tells a story and always has. While we can quickly be drawn to major awe-inspiring rock formations such as the Grand Canyon (NV and AZ), Zion (UT), or an entire town like the red rock country (Sedona AZ), even with the smallest of pebbles, hold mystery. On the macro scale, the large formations are evidence of massive and powerful processes, including the shifting of continents. On the micro-scale, pebbles have experienced their own adventures, and we can honor and appreciate their sacred journey. Although made up of so many different elements, these natural elements seem to amalgamate and take on a life of their own – showing off their character traits such as resilience, grounded, infinite wisdom and energy, and obedience just to list a few

?Inspiration: We each tell a unique story - I see you, honor you and accept you just as you are.?

Rocks connect us to the past, present, and future [and to each other]

Who knows what tomorrow holds, if not the rocks? They’ve known for billions of years. Rocks are far from being lifeless. They retain traces of ancient civilizations and fossils of species that once inhabited the Earth but have become lost through time. They give us a tangible connection to all that has come before, reassuring us of their constant presence - now for many millennia to come.

Inspiration: Trust the Rock!?