Side Notes--When I'm 64 (or maybe 84...?)

So, Doug, Josh and I walk out to the end of the trail near the lodge at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to take in the views and all the glory one can see of the Grand Canyon without having to go too far. One of the things I really appreciate about that area is that they haven't gotten so concerned about people being stupid that they've felt the need to put guard rails and fencing around everything.

One can still scamper out onto rocks, sit on ledges, and terrify one's friends. We of course immediately headed up or out or wherever would afford us the best view farthest from all the people. Near the end of the trail, we climbed to a perch and enjoyed the views until we were ready to head back down. We carefully descended our rocky tower, and began the short walk back.

As we came around a bend, I saw an older woman, putting her hand to her forehead, and saying, "Oh, I just can't watch!"

I glance left to see what she is referring to, and see another woman of the senior citizen variety walking out onto some rocks, arms stretched for balance. As she is walking backwards, she says, in an entirely unconvinced tone of voice, "Ok, well, I trust your judgement...."

A third woman in the party, holding a camera, waves her backward and says, "Oh, just keep going to your right. You're FINE!"

I immediately look away and keep right on walking, thinking, "Oh, I just can't watch this either!"

I felt pretty certain there would soon be a fence going up right in that spot...

But, then I thought about it again. Who am I going to be in 20, 30, or 40 years? Assuming I make it that long and don't ride off a cliff somewhere, I'm going to be that woman with the camera. I'll be waiting for Josh and Doug to get themselves out on a perch above some canyon, yelling (because I'll be mostly deaf from riding motorcycles all those years), "Just keep going! You'll be fine--stop being little wussies!"

Other people will be walking away, hands over their eyes, saying they just can't watch. Well, not the teens and twenty-somethings, cuz you know how they are.

They'll be standing, pointing, and laughing, calling me a crazy old woman. I think I'm ok with that...

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