Enjoyment

*“For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…”*

(Colossians 1:16a)

Three things stand out to me about our visit to Badlands National Park. The first was when we saw our one and only buffalo of the trip. Even though it was from a very great distance, we were still excited. We also saw prairie dogs and bighorn sheep up-close-and-personal. The sheep soon began to feel a little too up-close when they decided to stop for a rest directly in front of us on the road. The delay made a long drive feel even longer, which is the final thing that I remember. By the time we had traveled for several meandering hours along Route 240, it felt like we had spent more than enough time traveling through the Badlands.

According to the U.S. National Park Service website, the park likely earned its name due to its slow and difficult travel. The many geographical features force people to take a circuitous path, which turns into a nearly impassable sticky clay every time it rains. “For hundreds of years, the Lakota people have called this area mako sica, which literally translates to ‘bad lands.’ When early French fur trappers passed through this area, they called the area les mauvaises terrestrial a traverse (‘bad lands to travel across’). Since the French trappers spent time with the Lakota, it is likely that the French name is derived directly from the Lakota one.” (NPS)

Difficult travel over rough terrain is an experience we can all relate to some on some level. Times when we feel bogged down in sticky situations, with so many daunting obstacles that we feel like we are making no forward progress at all.

But maybe the secret to flourishing in these frustrating times is to slow down and enjoy the life around us. Take time to notice the beauty of the landscape. Pause to enjoy the inquisitive, wack-a-mole behavior of the prairie dogs. Be still and wander at the magnificence of the buffalo. Allowing our wonder to lead us into praise for our Creator.