Blessings of our two horizons

CATHARINE COOPER

Feathery tendrils of rain-laden clouds press eastward across the sea,

and as evening edges toward night, a crimson-cloaked horizon peeks

through the darkness. I imagine that pirates and early explorers were

soothed by such a sight which gave direction and bearing to their

journeys. For me, the horizon has always held the promise that there

will be another day.

When life seems confusing, what better place to find solace than

the beach? Not the sand nor waves -- but that mysterious and

seductive horizon line which separates the domain of sea and sky. I

can weep or wail -- laugh or shout. The horizon never argues, never

comments ... never tries to make what seems to be wrong -- “OK.” Its

constancy assures me that there is more to life than whatever issues

I wrestle and that the world is infinitely larger than my small

backyard. I suppose in some way, that the sea and its edge are my

church, my confessor, my personal connection with the creative force.

In Laguna we are blessed with two types of horizons. The first is

the window we hold to the west, broken on clear days by the graceful

silhouettes of Catalina and San Clemente Islands. The second is our

greenbelt, a glorious shoulder of open space to the east, which given

our rains, has fully fledged to its title of “green.”

To wander on the undeveloped ridges and dip into the creek and

sycamore sheltered paths of the canyons is to step away from the

frenzy of our everyday lives. This open space functions for me in a

similar fashion to the sea and its horizon. Here is the songbird, the

grosbeak, the swooping dive of the red-tailed hawk. Here is the deer,

the coyote, the raccoon and lizard. Here is a space for recreation --

hiking, biking, birding, plant identification and geology. Here is a

space for contemplation and renewal. Here, nature does not argue with

my thoughts, nor provide manufactured solutions.

John Muir, the noted naturalist, is often quoted, “Climb the

mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into

you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own

freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will

drop off like autumn leaves.”

What he saw, in the wildness that he sought to protect, was the

healing power of lands unmarred by man. Again, he writes, “I went out

for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going

out, I found, was really going in.”

Three cheers for Supervisor Tom Wilson, who this week took a stand

in favor of the local wilderness, a source of our renewal. Against

money and the power of development, he bellowed a resounding ‘no’ to

those who would carve a golf course from the hard won open space of

Aliso & Woods Canyon Wilderness Parks. He protected -- at least for

the moment -- one of the aspects that make living in our extended

neighborhood special.

One of my favorite hikes is the ridgeline trail above Laguna

Canyon. The Wilderness Park spreads like a rich carpet to the north

and east, and in most views, the housing tracts are hidden. The sea

reaches westward, and its horizon beckons, simultaneously an old and

new friend. I find I am wrapped in what Muir referred to as

“freshness,” and like him, I’d like to stay out all day, for what

I’ve found is a reconnection to the power that is within.

I’d like to take a moment, to thank each and every person who has

put his or her time and energy into policy development, land

acquisition and usage regulation, to ensure that our Open Space has

remained -- open. And to the on-going efforts of those who would

protect the oceans, the skies and the overall environmental health of

our city -- and on a broader scale, our home planet.

It is because of the efforts of many that we are able to walk the

shoreline and hike the canyons. It is my hope that, in the personal

experience of these horizons, we discover our ability to reach and

grow, and better understand ourselves and our roles in this conscious

journey we call life.

* Catharine Cooper loves wild places. She can be reached at

ccooper@cooperdesign.net.