Badlands – grasping snow

Rocks. I collect rocks. Every time I journey a new trail, I attempt to get a memento, a rock. I normally try to get in near the apex. However, there are a few other items I collect that might be unique to the terrain, the locale or the event. When I went to Badlands and got a rock from the Castle Trail, I also got a second memento. I got snow.

You see, there had been a snow storm shortly before I arrived. The roads and most the parking lots had been cleared. Bu there was still quite a lot of snow, and snow drifts, in spots. Especially if the spots were in the shade.

The temp was in the 20s at my arrival, and what snow I saw was very solid on top, having frozen over. By my departure, the temp had risen into the 40s and the snow had softened. The frozen crust had softened and occasionally I stepped into 3 foot snow drifts. I decided to collect some snow. I grabbed a food storage container from the car and filled it with snow.

I am not a dummy. I realize the snow would not last. Not last at all. But the snow in elemental form would last. Now. I get this is weird. Stay with me.

In my backpack, I keep a small amount of duck tape. I mean, you never know when I need to go all Macgyver on the wilderness. I took the Glad container filled with snow and duck taped the lid as secure as I could. I put the container in the FJ and continued with the venture.

1000 miles and 72 hours later … I had arrived back home and forgot all about the snow. I cleaned out the Osprey pack but forgot about the container. A week later, I pulled the container out and discovered a few things … snow melts and the duck tape didn’t keep the container water tight. All but several ounces had leaked into the bottom of my pack. My first aid kit was a bit damp. but there was a little water remaining. I will pick up a plastic vial and secure the remaining ounces for my collection.

LESSONS …

1: Secrets don’t stay secret. Things leak out. In life, we often try to keep things contained, wrapped up, sealed for later, or just sealed for later memory. But things have a way of leaking out. An interesting verse in Eccl 12 is For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

2: Things in life slip through our hands. So grabbing hold of the things in this life is like grabbing hold of snow – it is going to melt. It’s fleeting – rust and moth destroy. So place your treasure where it belongs – heaven.

Who knew such truths can come from the Badlands … indirectly.