Exploring Arizona

If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't expecting something completely mind-blowing when my mom told me we were going to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. When anyone said the words "grand canyon," all I'd think about was a big piece of orange rock that was very high compared to where the Colorado River was. But I never would have expected to see this:

Yes I saw what most of us see when we go to Arizona (and was mind blown like most of us). But I just couldn't wrap my mind around how this was remotely possible. Ok, a river goes through some rocks and erodes over time, but how does that create this? Nothing I say will ever really measure up to how tremendous this "landmark"of a landform is. But I'd say what I enjoyed more than the Canyon was the drives. Gosh I don't know what it was, but I just loved the drives so much that after a viewing of the Grand Canyon I'd ask my cousin if we were going on the scenic route back. Every time. The roads there aren't interconnected like they are in the East. There are no gas stations and convenience stores or occasional detours every twenty miles. It was just our car driving along with a few others on this one-way road. The feeling of isolation from people and the city was quite relaxing and serene.

But it wasn't just the landscape that took me away, but it was also the music I was listening to. My taste in music varies from Ariana Grande to Lana Del Rey. Listening to the music and watching the landscapes pass in a panoramic fashion felt so therapeutic. It was how I calmed  and cooled myself off at the end every day in Arizona. I felt so aware and expressive among the passing plateaus and occasional cacti. 

Also, the skies in the West are so pure and solid. In the city they're diluted by city life, but in states like Arizona and Wyoming, the sky is just......blue.

The aesthetic of Arizona is beautiful. If this hasn't been established already well, here it is. Along our drives, we'd see these tiny houses along the large, bare fields. My mom and I were talking about how we'd love to live in one of them. The state is just so natural and I never thought any state in the US would be like this: enormous fields with no manmade thing disrupting it. It sure made me happy.

And the plants were just so different. Obviously in my head I knew they existed, but the aesthetic of this place is just satisfying. I remember going to the visitor centers and trying to memorize the names of some of the local plants. I remember the yucca plant.

I saw these everywhere. Here's a fun fact; I remember learning, in fifth grade, that the  Pueblo tribe, would use this plant to make baskets.

As cliche as it sounds it didn't feel weird or wrong to find my own voice and self through all this wondrous nature. I could just be present and not think about it. It's a great feeling.

I usually have a main takeaway from every trip I go on, but this time, it was just fun to be among my family and a new type of "habitat" and climate. I've always had a deep love of nature and animals. I frequently go on hikes with my family and thought that that was my gateway to exploring nature. Boy was I wrong. Being in this dry heat practically helped me finally understand my self worth. This is really funny to say because I discovered this through putting on sunscreen and washing my face. I guess I did have a takeaway then. 

Having these experiences and eureka moments for yourself in life is really important. So go out there and have them.☺️