March, 1999 - I came to Sedona for my birthday, to be alone with God and nature for five days. Driving up from Phoenix, I had visions of a hike up Cathedral rock at sunset. I kept putting the hike off. . . until I ran into this man in town three times in a row on three different days. This morning after I scrapped the idea of yogurt in the woods, I ran into him again at breakfast. "Would you like to hike Cathedral at sunset?" he asks me. "Yes," I reply. Of course. Spirit had these plans all along. . .

I meet him in the parking lot at Coffee Pot restaurant in early afternoon and we hop in his truck and head for the trailhead. Adventure! I've passed Cathedral by so many times and now I am excited to be taking a trip to the top. We skip the trail altogether and instead decide to bushwhack up a dry wash, climbing steadily and quickly up near the top. For the final push we intersect the trail then huff and puff our way up to the saddle. Breathtaking! I cannot believe the glory of nature that lies before me. I'm standing on a narrow ledge looking out over the valley below. Oak creek winds beneath me, and the rocks are turning a golden orange in the late afternoon light.

On the west side of the saddle, to our left, another short but steep climb carries us to a ledge between two rock towers. The ravens dash in between the spires cackling and cawing. . . their cries echoing like laughter. As the sun sinks even deeper we do a prayer ceremony. I ask for balance, stamina, and the courage to follow my path. The spirits are here--I feel them so strongly--and the energy is palpable in this sacred spot. I am deeply moved.

Sunset is a treat. We sit on a ledge and watch our star melt into the horizon as the creek turns to silver and the sky becomes azure blue. A soft breeze rushes up and the birds sing their sunset song. We pick our way slowly and carefully down the trail.

I cannot resist waking up early the next morning to climb Cathedral again. Alone, I greet the sun and pray for blessings in this new year of my life. I sing my prayers aloud and shiver until the light bursts over the horizon to the east, illuminating the few clouds with a passionate pink and turning the silver sky into the palest of blues. The air is cool, the colors brilliant, and the silence welcome. This is pure magic. I am grateful to be alive.