Surrender

I got to explore Iceland today, at least part of it. I spent the afternoon on a mini-bus tour of the geysers and the largest waterfall (Gullfoss) an hour outside of Rejkavik.

It's hard for me to put into words what I experienced as we drove along the countryside. There are no trees and very little vegetation on Iceland. It's barren, and yet it was remarkable. I found it to be astoundedly beautiful, mainly because it was what it was; it was as it was meant to be; Mother Nature was in her element, and nothing could change the impression left upon her creation out of vulcanic ashes and iceages.

The air was so incredibly clear, and the light from the cloudless sky shone so brightly that it was intoxicating. There were so many shades of earthen colors, shadows, and textures, and I could swear my eyes had been equipped with HD-vision. It was chaos, not strange considering the violent powers this small island has reckoned with throughout the ages. And yet the landscape in turn had come to terms with all that had been wrought upon it, so despite the disorder there was an amazing calm, a tranquil surrender.

It made me want to bow down and pay my respect for that unfathomable, universal power that shapes our existence. It made me aware of my mortality, and yet somehow, today I got a small taste of immortality.

I was embraced and enraptured by the natural, organic beauty I was submerged in everywhere I turned. A world without touchups, botox, and artificial flavors. It was perfect.