Close or Far Away

Larry and I have gone on some beautiful walks here in Tucson. Although we don't see much of the Catalina Mountains from inside our house, once we walk outside our door, we get a nice view. We especially enjoy walking around our neighborhood at twilight. The sunset colors on the mountains are spectacular. We also went for a short hike on the road most traveled at Sabino Canyon in the Catalinas. I got to thinking about which view I liked better, the distant view or close up. During the daytime, from a distance, the mountains are interesting to look at, but they don't seem as spectacular as the Cascades from a distance. The Cascades are much higher and often have snow on them. There are more distinct peaks. Up close, the landscape at Sabino Canyon is quite interesting and beautiful. There are the many different types of cacti, rock formations, washes, riverbeds, and wildlife that I don't think of when I'm far away. Hiking in the Cascades has beauty, but can have less variety in places. I think I like distant views of the Cascades better.

It is interesting how some things look spectacular from a distance, but on closer examination aren't as special as they seem. For example, you might have a favorite celebrity whose life you think you’d love to have. Then on closer examination, you might see the pain and suffering the person has experienced, such as failed marriages and unhappy children. Sometimes the opposite is true. For example, from a distance you might think that a dress is totally unremarkable. Then, when you look at it more closely, you see the careful workmanship, the perfect fit, and the style that works well with the owner, and then you appreciate the dress as something special. It’s important to consider more than one point of view when evaluating things.