Learning to Look Up
by Tobyn Bower

National park villages are a unique blend of urgency and respite. They are the junction points where large crowds of visitors create long lines waiting for the next available parking space, the next cashier in the gift store, and food orders to be taken and delivered. Surrounded by prime wilderness that is largely unexplored by the average visitor, these visitors huddle themselves in a space occupying one percent of the entire park’s acre- age. They rush determined to get back to the slow dream vacation they’ve been anticipating for days, weeks, months, often years. They are busy slowing down...usually a little too busy.

I wished to be a park ranger growing up; working with park concessions has been close to a personal dream come true. When my customers remind me how fortunate I am to be living in the midst of a Sequoia for- est, at the bottom of Zion Canyon, or within eyesight of Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone, I respond with an astounded, “I know! I feel like a spoiled rotten brat!” Each time, I am repeatedly humbled by the gift of being here.

Though there is some glamour to living in the parks, there is a lot of hard work involved. There are thousands of park visitors each day in long lines that expect to be fed, housed, serviced, and shown the beauties of the park with a smile on my face and eager spring in my step. Early within my first year at Zion Canyon, after serving park visitors all morning, I walked back to the employee dorms to rest, following two other employees who were taking up the full width of the sidewalk. I was off-duty, so why rush any longer? That was when I heard one of the employees say, “The way you can tell the park visitors from the [park] employees—the visitors look up”.

When surrounded by 2,500’ sandstone cliffs washed in hues of whites, oranges, and reds, I protested to myself, “How could you not look up? This place is incredible!” Since then, my naivety has waned. Though surrounded by vast spaces of quiet solitude, I regularly have days I cannot glance away from my duties from dawn to dusk. Those are the days I realize that I too need these places for sanctuary, but like the visitors I serve, I also become busy slowing down...more commonly, too busy to slow down.

Greg Stratton-Porter once said “There is great beauty when you know where to look”. As the last glim- mers of golden sunlight ebb upon surrounding mountains or the crest of the canyon, stars emerge by the millions for lack of light pollution. Not a moment goes by without God’s invitation for everyone within the parks to look up and stand in awe of His creation. It’s hard to be busy with your eyes turned upward. In looking up, we learn to look beyond what we are naturally prone to see. This is where God meets us.

In conjunction with park concessions, these years have also been spent working with A CHRISTIAN MIN- ISTRY IN THE NATIONAL PARKS (ACMNP), stationed with ministry teams that offer church services in the nearby campground amphitheaters. These services allow each of us a time to pause through worship, times of quiet reflection and prayer, the reading of Scripture, and the preaching of the Word. These sacred moments offer space where we, park visitor and employee alike, not only look up, but look beyond God’s creation to seek the Creator and hear His silent voice whispered above the rustle of pine trees or chirping of birds. It’s where I arrive to find sanctuary and rest.

This summer, I am returning once again to the parks—returning to the choice to get caught up in the long lines and work duties or discover God’s inner sanctuary in the midst of the bustle of the park villages. This upcom- ing summer promises greater challenges as I take on more responsibilities doing online summer graduate studies, serving as a floor supervisor, and directing the ACMNP ministry team assigned to me; however, in spite of the busyness, I am learning to look up and discover God’s sanctuary surrounding me in all places, and share this sanc- tuary with those I come in contact with along the long lines. Time to get busy slowing down...emphasis on just slowing down!