Borrowed Light

While I was caving, I had an experience that taught me something. After climbing back up the waterfall and squeezing my way back (getting stuck sometimes), I noticed that my headlamp was getting dimmer. Then finally the batteries died and the light went out. Luckily I was with two other guys who were ahead of me and I could make do with their light. It was also a good thing that we were mostly out of the tight part. The way out of the tight slot canyon was up a hole into a bigger room. The two guys ahead of me went up and I was left in the dark feeling around for some purchase to lift myself up. The other guys came back (I guess they were just looking at the surrounding for a while) when I was almost out of the hole.

I was thinking that we need a light to find our way in this life. For us LDS folk, that would be our testimony in Jesus Christ and His teachings. But for others it might be good values, the Golden Rule; something that gives this life purpose and explains how we are to act and be. Sometimes you can make it by with the light of others. But there comes a point where we are alone or our situation is difficult and unique to ourselves so that we can not rely on other people. Everyone experiences this. Even our Savior, who was a perfect man and had the companionship of Heavenly Father with Him for most of His life, experienced being alone. At this point we can no longer tread our way on borrowed light. We must find it within ourselves and it becomes our strength to press forward and live life with a fulness that brings joy and peace.

Holes in the ground

I just got back from a trip down memory tunnel. I went with the scouts to Buckner's Cave today. I went a long time ago when I was a scout and then again with Seth one time. We had one turn back when he saw the entrance. The opening is pretty big, but then it turns off to the left into the "birth canal." To get in there you have to go head first into a hole-like tunnel and out into the canal. Then it's roughly 100 yards of crawling/rolling/scootching. Then it opens up so you can stand. The cave is too big to explore all in one day (we only stayed 3 - 4 hours). We decided to go towards the waterfall. I don't think I've ever gone that way before.

The way there was like a really narrow slot canyon. Parts of the way you could traverse above the stream, but there came a point where I had to crawl in the water. Then the stream goes down a hole that is at the top of another room. People have put in a rope to climb down. That was fun climbing down and up a waterfall. It was only about 15 - 17 feet.

The only bad part is knowing that you have to go back out the same way you came in. That wasn't so fun. But all in all an excellent trip.

Sorry I don't have any pictures, but it was really dusty and wet which equals muddy in places. It feels good to be clean again.