a surreal sight (without a picture to keep)

Sometimes you get a pick-me-up just when you need one…
But, unfortunately, sometimes when you really need a camera, it’s at home.

I decided this morning, things would change. Life has become so busy recently that I’ve let go of some things that bring me so much peace and calm, like yoga and hiking (and writing). So, today I woke up and without allowing a single excuse to take over my mind, I left for Runyon Canyon.

I am so happy I did.

I rolled the windows down, turned on some Green Day, and started to feel like myself again. But as I drove closer to Hollywood, I noticed the sky was awfully eerie over the hill, and I knew something wasn’t quite right. (I later learned there was a fire at Universal Studios, which is very unfortunate, but luckily no one was seriously hurt.)

And so I hiked and, despite the eeriness, I began to feel wonderful. And I grew wonderfully tired. As I approached the last few steps before reaching the top, I stared down at the ground to take my mind off the climb.

When I looked up I was instantly struck speechless by the gaze of two majestic and pristine white horses. It was a moment that makes you gasp, the least expected of all things to see… at the top of this hill I’ve climbed so many times before. In that moment, everything just left me. I had no worries, no stress, but pure wonder at these amazing creatures (that have never struck me as being so amazing).

Like a dream they stood there.. grounded in their glowing white in absolute contrast against the brown, smoke-filled sky on the edge of this plateau overlooking the overlapping hills and this crowded city that will forever blow my mind.

The eeriness turned to sheer beauty and my tired, overwhelmed mind turned clear…