Last summer, Bob and I went to Bend, Oregon, to visit Paul for several days. We planned to visit their whole family, but Christa, Olivia, and Cameron needed to come to Oklahoma City to help one of Christa’s best friends and her 8-year-old quadruplets get settled in a new home as they moved back to Oklahoma from Dallas. Her friend tragically lost her husband 6 months earlier, and she was moving back home after the school year ended to be near family and friends.
Paul had taken off work and planned a day of adventure, and we loved every minute! We stopped at Sahalie Falls located along the McKenzie River in the Cascade Mountains. The falls plunge 100 feet over a natural lava dam. There is a viewing platform less than 100 feet from the parking lot, which is wheelchair accessible. That explains the van that pulled up just after us with six adults of varying abilities who were up for the adventure.
I noticed one young man standing a short distance from us who was mesmerized by the falls. The others in the group paused and moved on, but he didn’t leave. The three of us stood in awe of the majestic falls, and as we were turning to head to the hiking trail, he said to me, “Lady, Lady, come look! There’s a big one and a little one. They are so beautiful!” I stood with him for a few moments sharing in his joy, then left to be with my guys.
Every time I came close to the falls, he called me to come and see. We repeated this scenario four times, and we had a great time. It became evident that we had a special connection. When I went to tell him we were leaving, he showed me the falls again, hugged me, and said, “Thank you, Lady. You are so beautiful.” At that moment, I knew he was not talking about physical beauty but the fact that I had noticed him, taken time for him and spent time sharing with him. God gave me eyes to see more than the beauty of the falls in the beauty of God’s love for all people.
As I began the day of exploring new places, I anticipated being touched by God’s creation and was indeed blessed. That afternoon, I was blessed by God’s creation in another way. I felt called to show kindness to this young man, and he was so kind to me. As it turns out, the name of the falls comes from the Chinook language and the word Sahalie translates to “sky or heaven.” Maybe the way we experience heaven on Earth is when we choose to be kind to one another.
Marsha Long, Director of Hospitality Ministry
