Hi from Arizona

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeri Fink
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 2:15 AM
Subject: Hi from Arizona

Hi.

My Arctic gear seems long gone as I stand and look at Castle Rock in Sedona, Arizona. The contrasts are mind-boggling. Only a few short days ago all I saw was white sky and ice. Today I gaze at vivid red rocks, fringed with the green of pine and higher up, a dusting of white.

I've moved into a different culture here in northern Arizona. Instead of Eskimos there are cowboys. It's horse country, with some of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen. The land sprawls endlessly, with dramatic changes that take me from warm, sunny Phoenix to the snowy hills of Flagstaff and the awesome drama of the Grand Canyon. It's remarkable that so many distinct cultures all live under the same flag. From Florida to Alaska to Arizona we're all so much alike - and yet so wonderfully different.

As I lose myself in Arizona's red rocks, I experience something very different. Here, I'm grounded, powerfully connected to the land around me. I can touch the rocks, hold them in my hand - and at the same time be enveloped by their extraordinary presence. It's humbling and uplifting at the same time. I've been here before. And I know that I'll be back again.

Join me on the red rocks in this picture.