Not far from Moab and Arches National Park lies another natural wonder; Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is an expansive park with four separate districts, and there are no roads that connect the districts. The Mesa Arch is located at the edge of the Island in the Sky District. It’s a natural picture frame in the Navajo Sandstone sitting on the precipice of some vast canyon country. It’s a window into the past. As we looked through the arch and took in the impressive view, my son and I wondered how far the mountains on the horizon might be.
For the rest of the morning, we hiked trails along the rim of the Island in the Sky plateau enjoying the canyon country. We paused at the end of trail and returned to our question. How far is it to the mountains on the horizon? Is it possible to hike across the canyon to these mountains?
The mountains in question are the La Sal Mountains. The answer is that they are nearly 40 miles from the Mesa Arch. That’s further than we imagined. We later learned that on a clear day from certain vantage points on the Islands in the Sky plateau, it’s possible to see for 100 miles.
The Takeaway
Our future will be shaped by the boldness of our vision and the range of our imagination.
The Reflection
Vision has long been a corporate buzz word. It helps answer some important questions. Where do we want to go? Who do we want to become? How bold are we willing to be? On a personal level, vision also matters. Our lives are in motion. We are moving towards a bold vision that we are willing to imagine, or one limited by how far we are willing see.
Field Question
What bold vision to you have for the future?