Tuesday, May 3, 2011

To the PICO Again!

It was the wash of wind that covered the mountain side pines, flew through my sweaty hair, and spoke peace to my spirit. No motors racing by, turning up dust, blistering the silence. No blaring bodega speakers rattling the tin roofs of the neighborhood houses. It was fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Peter, his cousin Jeremiah, and myself enjoying a 4 day trek to the top of Pico Duarte. I did this same hike a little less than a year ago with my college buddy Dan and his parents. This second time with fewer hikers and more time to reflect and relax, I thoroughly enjoyed a dose of the peace present in God’s natural world.

Even though I live in the “campo” I some times forget about the quiet backyard I have yet to really explore. The hills slowly roll up to the Caribbean’s highest peak, Pico Duarte (10,000 ft). Perhaps it’s not so majestic as maybe the snow capped, saw-toothed Sierra Nevada mountains of home, but it’s a world removed from everything that is loud and in your face about Dominican culture. Here the steams trickle with delight and cold fresh springs. The palm, pine, fruit, and deciduous trees cohabitate on the same slope. The birds chirp freely without fear of being pegged by a pebble from a kids sling shot. The wind whispers secrets that only the deep valleys can comprehend. And the tree feathered horizon gives way to flaming sunrises and sunsets that wake up and put to bed this Caribbean island.

I will do this hike again before I part from the Dominican Republic… perhaps 2 more times. Not only because it is a welcomed challenge, but because it represents the purity that can be found on any piece of land we choose to protect. I work to mitigate trash, create compost bins, protect clean water sources, and play with kids in my site... all because… why?? Well, every time I return to the purity of our world’s protected areas I answer that question. I reunite with nature and my roots. I am grateful for every encounter with beauty in its un-manipulated state and I wish to offer the kids in my community the chance to connect with that not so far away wild. Perhaps the winds and water and trees brushing the top of Pico Duarte will wash upon their spirit and ignite an appreciation for the sacred natural world that can be lost in the “bulla” of a culture so vibrant and all up in your face.

Take a walk, take a hike, and then go on a trek. It’ll reconnect you to where you come from and what you’re part of.
The Roots run deep,
Jared