I love the natural beauty of our great state of Utah. Some of the magnificent features of our mountains and desert sometimes impress me as a parable to our human challenges and behavior.
In May, while driving slowly through Nine Mile Canyon, my wife Janice and I drove past the famous balanced rock at milepost 32.5. I noticed a small pine tree on top of the balanced rock, thriving after the wet winter this past year. The tree had taken root in what would appear to be a hostile and dysfunctional environment. That beautiful little tree was like a crown jewel on top of a giant boulder that appeared miraculously balanced on two tiny rocks under the boulder. What a wonderful sight to witness.
This miraculous scene likely came to be due to a bird dropping a pine tree seed in a small crack, and even with conditions to grow being highly unlikely, this tree defied the odds and became a beautiful sight for many to experience.
This little boulder-top tree is an example of what can happen if you simply believe you can. Many of us begin life in a hostile and dysfunctional world just like the pine tree seed. God has given all life a desire and strength to survive and grow bigger and better. That Is what we witness when we observe the small pine tree on top of the balanced rock. Thinking about the sight in that manner, we see a parable applicable to our human lives.
Our human purpose is to overcome the challenges in life and to become a jewel of a person and an example of human possibilities. When you are touring our amazing Utah scenery, take the time to find the parables you can see in the amazing natural world.
