A Lake Named Jenny

Jenny Lake is one of the most photographed area in the Grand Tetons. The lake is named after the wife of Beaver Dick Leigh, the last mountain man he is dubbed. From hundreds of miles away, the Teton Mountain Range is visible, snow-capped, ice glaciers, and sharp peaks towering through the sky. As you enter the Grand Teton National Park, the Jenny Lake is something you should not miss. The lake acts like a mirror, reflecting the grandeur of this mountain. The lake, like a mirror reminding the peaks how majestic, how splendid, how rugged, and how beautiful She is. I imagine, this lake, reminding Jenny, that she is all of that. When the cloud is overcast, when the lake is frozen, when the lake is busy and the water ripples, you could barely see Her. But through all these changes in the season, the sun will come out, the blue skies permanently waiting to exude, Her reflection is there, it hasn't changed. It's as grand, as splendid, as magnificent. If it was a movie, it is Humphrey Bogart telling Ingrid Bergman "Here's Looking At You Kid".

Life is a mirror in itself. We see the world with the lenses we wear and the perspective we have. Our eyes are trained to see what we want to see, focus on what is important, and blur those that obscure the view. And like a mirror, it reflects what we see, how we see others, and how others see us. Our mirrors are imperfect. We need to seek the views of others, stand on others view, and wipe the fog that hinder clarity. When we recognize our eyes focusing constantly on something, let's train our eyes to look away and focus on something else. When we constantly miss a giant sign in front of us, maybe it is time to step back and see what it looks on a wider, bigger picture. When we create ripples, when the ripples are too strong, when the images are overwhelming, it might be time to walk away from the mirror, and feel. When we take the mirror away we allow ourselves to not just see, but to touch, to hear, to feel, and realize there's more to that reflection that we see.

There is this souvenir from Jenny Lake that summarize it all. Be Clear, Make positive ripples, Look beneath the surface, Stay calm, Take Time to reflect. We can all learn from the Lake named Jenny.