Beauty in a beautiful town

Whistler is truly a beautiful place. I took a walk today, restless again in my seeming indecision about work. I love going for walks, they really give me a sense of peace and increased clarity. I've been exploring Whistler more lately, seeing and inhabiting more nooks and crannies and hidden corners - getting to know my new home. It's good to know the place you live by actually walking the ground and experiencing the surroundings.

I sat by a picturesque waterfalls and stream that winds its way through town. I went into an art gallery and enjoyed gazing upon many truly beautiful and brilliant creations. I ducked into a small corner of undeveloped woodlot near the marketplace and enjoyed the sheltered grove - reminded me very much of the woods I grew up in back home. Except for the trash and litter. It takes me by surprise, how careless people can be, leaving their trash in the most beautiful natural settings (let alone anywhere). Last night's post about cleanliness and how it relates to awareness and care bears exactly on this situation. I decided that I wanted to clean it up, but not right then and there. So I walked.

After enjoying my amble through the woods - pleasantly surprised at myself then, that I could put the trash mostly out of my mind and be present to the natural beauty of it - I sat down and considered the trash. It was fairly extensive, scattered over a large area, and beyond the myriad bits and pieces left behind by careless folk were at least a couple of full garbage bags apparently ripped apart by wildlife. It was more than I wanted to tackle immediately, so I considered coming back with a pair of work gloves and a few bags. As I was about to leave, I realized that I had to do something for my own peace of mind - it occurred to me that if everyone who came into that special place were to leave it a little better than they found it, it would soon be litter-free again. I picked up a bag that was part of the litter - now served to de-litter the area - and began picking things up. When I was done, I'd cleared everything I noticed from a fairly sizable area, mostly filling my garbage bag. Looking at my handiwork, I felt good. The really cool thing was, it was just like I wrote last night - recognizing my own values and appreciation of the place, anonymously cleaning up litter was not really work. Made me think back to all those "chores" I resisted so vehemently when I was a child. I think there's something profound to learn here, I'm not sure what it is yet.