… the impatience of youth !
While driving home today I listened with interest to an NPR segment that was honoring the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. The show originated from Yellowstone Park and the commentator was interviewing people from all over the world who were there enjoying the sites and, in particular, the spectacular geyser known as Old Faithful.
All of a sudden I was in another year (1956) and another car (my rinky-dink Ford, named “Old Betsy”) heading to Yellowstone with my friend Cherie. We were heading to the east coast and had planned some stops along the way.One place on our list was Yellowstone and the famous geyser. I remember that we parked the car and then hiked a bit until we found the spot. There was a Park Ranger nearby and, after waiting about 5 minutes, we asked him when we could expect to see the eruption. “Oh, not too long”, he said, “it should be spouting off within the hour.”
WHAT? A whole hour to wait ! Impossible ...we had miles to go and no time to be sitting around twiddling our thumbs. To my great chagrin, as I look back on it now, we thanked the man and left.
Now here it is 60 years later and I have yet to see Old Faithful. I listened as the commentator explained that it is one of the most predictable geographical features on earth, erupting every 35 to 120 minutes. What idiots we were … losing out on this great experience ... just because, like much of the youth today, we didn't have the patience !!
posted by Ginnie at 5:00 PM
8 Comments:
So true, Ginnie! Oh the wisdom that comes with age!
One of those times when you'd like a do-over. And you would do a do-over if you had an opportunity to do a do-over.
What the heck did I just say?
I have never been there, but I'd like to think I'd have the patience to wait for it. When I was young, probably not.
Oh we were impatient, impatient to grow up, impatient to experience life. aWe rushed hre nd there and now in the bloink of an eye, we look back and wonder where it went.
Owing to fear, I did the almost the same thing regarding Kilauea Crater in Hawaii. I had a chance to fly over it and look at the eruption and turned it down. Its been erupting ever since.
Oh I too remember those impatient times. Now as time is flying by, kind of wish I'd have enjoyed those slower times more.
Yes, we get wise in our older years and realize just what foolish youths we were.
Oh dear! I would still be kicking myself, too.
On the other hand, I was one of those idiots who maybe took too many chances and did really dumb stuff. Against my aunt's better wishes, I climbed the Soufriere Hills volcano on Montserrat back in the 80s. it blew its top in 1995 closing off about half of the island to habitation - a fact that still breaks my heart, I loved that place so much! The 'rocky' path we climbed crumbled as we climbed it. The smell of sulfur was nasty. It was like climbing butter. But, I did it and still have a couple chunks of sulfuric rock as souvenirs. The lava pretty much covered the islands capital, Plymouth.
But I never got to Yellowstone. At least you got there even if you didn't wait. Did you know you can watch it on a live webcam?
https://www.nps.gov/customcf/webcam/dsp_webcam_image.cfm?
or try https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm
This comment was from KGMom and I deleted it by mistake:
"Interesting, isn't it, how as we get older and have less time, we are more willing to wait for things than we were in our youth with lots of time."
Post a Comment
<< Home