“Nature, and the love of it, is a major theme in others of that generation. It is there in Thoreau, Emerson, Muir, Burroughs, Whitman, and it continues into the present as an unbroken double song of love and lamentation. Lamentation is the conscience speaking. Below the energy, enthusiasm, and optimism of our early years–below the Whitman strain — there is always the dark bass of warning, nostalgia, loss, and somewhat bewildered guilt.” Wallace Stegner, 1948, a mentor to deceased NVM Gonzalez [National Artist of the Philippines]

Imagine listening to NVM describe the writings of Wallace Stegner and his generosity of Spirit. He encouraged NVM Gonzalez to seek writing fellowships in the USA and NVM followed suit.

Here I am finding Stegner’s book, purchased for me by my husband, at the Grand Teton Bookstore.

Why of all places? I am reaching for the insight of convergence – am I able to access perhaps the collective unconscious body of knowledge available to us in the Universe if we assume a receptacle attitude that miracles are daily manifested?

Would you believe that we found a Sacred Heart Chapel in the Summit Mountain drive? It felt so serene inside, it opens only from June to September. It was constructed in 1937, many years before WWII. Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas is this not a miracle to find this?

Then, a few more miles drive, we walked to Jackson Lake overlook by 200 feet, and the magnificence of the blue Jackson lake framed by the growing Grand Tetons’ mountain ranges make you say, “Lord, how overwhelming Your blessings are!”

Here we are, as a nation, as America, just now realizing the value of reusing, repurposing and recycling to care for Mother Earth.

May we, Lord, collectively live up to you, as Your creations, and wake up to become better versions of ourselves such that we might leave this earth better than we found it.

May our practices conserve this beautiful America’s Grand Teton National Park as all the other 63 national parks for our children, 64 total now in America.

These 64 national parks are America’s best inventions resulting from the struggles of the environmentalists against the loggers, miners, speculating developers, and winning towards a consensus to preserve these multimillions of acreages for our children, grandchildren, and seven generations to come! Thank you Lord, #thankyouAmerica #thankyouhubby for this dreamlike, magical place!-@Prosy Delacruz

P.S. This is where we met Patti and Byron Bakke who are from Kent, Washington and whose lakeside house also has Mt. Rainier’s view. What a dream house. They were camping with Dave and Arleen Garland. Dave made an awesome fire with 2 reflector panels resulting in 3 fires as nd radiating heat to all gathered around. Arleen was a great teacher of geologic evolutions of the calderas in Yellowstone National Park.

While we thought we gave them a gift of sharing our campsite resulting in three vehicles and a cad, we were so blessed to be treated to blueberry pancakes, bacon and taco dinner thr prior night. I made mushroom mozzarella cheese quesadillas as appetizers.