Reaching Your Destination

Do you know what it feels like to see a destination and wonder if you’ll make it there? Then, after you’ve decided to start the journey and you are almost there, someone steps in to inform you, that your journey will not be able to be fulfilled because you need special equipment or specific skills to continue? So you’re left wondering how much further your journey is going to last, but you still trudged on because you’ve come too far to turn back?

YEAH… Well, that’s what happened to me recently!

Seeing that it was Sabbath afternoon, I decided to pick a mountain spot on the map and take a drive with Kenesha & Daddy (aka God).

3 hours, it what Google maps said. With pee and gas breaks, 5 hours was more like it. But the view and the scenery were inspiring. About 1.5 hours into our journey, I noticed some mountains in the distance, and I saw white on the peaks. I said, “Is that snow? No! That’s snow! There’s snow in California!” But enjoying the sun and the drive, we paid no attention. That was until we exited off the highway, only to realize the mountains that were far away were now much closer.

With our destination in mind and the marvel of the mountains as just a distraction, we didn’t put two and two together until we pulled into the park entrance to see the sign: “Chains needed along the path."

We dressed for summer, and here was winter presenting itself. We thought we were not going up where the snow was. That was until we pulled up to the gate, only to be told that the exact things we wanted to see, the Giant Sequoia Trees and a scenic sunset were located at exactly where we were now being told we could not go unless we had chains as they had just had a snowstorm a few days before.

We took a chance, paid the informing yet non-joyful park attendant the entrance fee and said, “We’ll go as far as we can.” HOWEVER, if you know me… I automatically took that as a challenge. We had already driven through summer, spring and fall to get here; now, we could touch snow in California.

… WHY TO STOP NOW 2000 ft up… we took in the creeks and crevices.

3000 ft up… we were in awe of the view that every peak and turn presented.

By 5000 ft… we saw cars on the descending side pulled over, taking off their chains.

At 6000 ft… remnants of snow and Canadian winters started to appear. As we ascended with excitement, we watched how many descending cars had on chains—less than 30%. We keep going. As we continued uphill, we began to cry out in laughter because we realized we were Canadians, and the California term for “snow” was the code word for “snow dust” in Canada.

I won’t lie; there was a point where the ground had slush on it to make us question, should we carry on. Kenesha said yes, turn back, as she hurried to put her sweat pants on… but she didn’t remember who she was with. With a little “convincing,” we agreed we’d go as far as the car would allow… and that’s what we did.

WE WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE PARKS “DO NOT PASS BORDER”… and there we were: 2 girls from Canada found winter in California.

The moral of the story…

• sometimes you have to REMEMBER your journey may take long;

• sometimes your previous experiences will prepare you to be an expert in areas others think are severe.

BUT when you have truly decided to go all out to reach your destination

• you would have seen things that will make you marvel;

• you will go places you never expected;

• you will reach heights never obtained before;

• you will leave with memories that will only RECHARGE, REVIVE and make you OVERCOME RESTRICTIONS.