Remembrance at Mount Lefroy

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Remembrance at Mount Lefroy
by Shazde Asdola Mirza
11-Nov-2010
 

The Canadian Banff is beautiful but notoriously unpredictable. Much like a warrior goddess, its colorful but whimsical nature is bursting with boundless and mesmerizing energy. Merlin Monroe loved it, as one can spontaneously love a familiar stranger, carrying similar elements and an even stronger will. Filming at the Bow Falls, Merlin too was staying at the Springs Hotel, when she dislocated an ankle. Half a century later, there I was, nursing a swollen ankle 50 miles from the hotel … and with no entourage!  

Day had started nice and sunny, inviting and promising, calling for an uninhibited embrace. I drove to the trail-head full of expectations and took the mountain’s “come on”; hook line and sinker! Trail was clean and clear, perfect for a brisk contemplative stroll. Lefroy’s crisp autumn breeze refreshed my lungs and the colorful foliage carpeted my every step. The morning dew was melting on the grass and the encapsulated aroma was rushing out, to meet the warm inviting rays. A gentle crackling of twigs underfoot was all that could disturb that perfect silence of the surround sound. Nothing could stop us now… cheek to cheek with the goddess Banff!  

Two hours and a light lunch and then back with a camera full of memories - two and one and two equal five … or so I had planned. But it was already 15:00 with an hour of trail to go at normal speed. Except that nothing was normal, not to mention the unbearable pain. The wily Chinook wind had abruptly shifted at noon, leaving the wild arena to a cold front and its bounty of snow. First they came flake by flake, then in streams and streaks, and finally there simply stood a white wall.  

Fumbling to follow the trail, my painful walk turned into a drunken zigzag. Those pants weren’t waterproof; shoes were filled with snow; gloves definitely too thin for the blizzard. Each step took more and more energy, and each breath became a nasty dose of the bitter cold. Not sure how long it was going to take; I started to panic – just imagining a night stay on the snowy mountain. Numbness was setting into my muscles and pain was drawing me closer to the fainting threshold. It was tempting to sit, to take a break, to relax and let go.  

That’s when she suddenly came back with boundless forgiveness … the Chinook again! Gently grabbed hold of the snow and persuaded the cold blanket to lift. She unveiled the setting sun-god in all its glory, shining on Mount Lefroy – only 10 minutes from the tourist lodge. She whispered in my ears, from 1 Corinthians.  

“Love is patient;  

Love is kind;  

Love is not envious or arrogant or rude.  

It does not insist on its own way;  

It is not irritable or resentful;  

It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  

It bears all things;  

Believes all things;  

Hopes all things:  

Endures all things;

Love never ends.”

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more from Shazde Asdola Mirza
 
G. Rahmanian

Shazdeh:

by G. Rahmanian on Sat Nov 13, 2010 05:18 PM PST

I fell in love with Banff in the summer. Having been stranded in the snows of US northeast and Europe twice and thinking I wouldn't survive, I avoid snow as much I can. Enjoyed your writing enormously. Beautiful prose!


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

"مهمان" عزیز و "باوفا" ی گرامی

Shazde Asdola Mirza
Sat Nov 13, 2010 07:12 AM PST

Thanks for your supportive comments. I wish you all the fun and "freezing" in your next Canadian visits.


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Mehman

Beautiful

by Mehman on Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:54 PM PST

prose writing.


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Bavafa

Banff national park, Lake Louise and Canmore

by Bavafa on Fri Nov 12, 2010 09:11 PM PST

Was our favorite destination for several years in the 90s for ice climbing. Each year, Brian and I would take a two week precious vacation and head to Banff and nearby ice climbing spots for a week or so. Then for three years we tried the Wapta Traverse but unsuccessfully. Boy, there is so such beauty in that part of the world, along with miserable cold conditions. I have experienced by far much colder/miserable conditions in Canada then ever climbing in Alaska.

But at the end of the day when it all was said and done… it was nothing but pure joy.

I miss those climbing days so dearly

Thanks for your beautiful essay, it brought a lot of good memories back.

Mehrdad


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

Thanks Vildemose, Baharan and Ebi jan

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on Fri Nov 12, 2010 08:57 PM PST

For your friendly support, nice words and the clip.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFRuLFR91e4


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ebi amirhosseini

Shazdeh Jaan

by ebi amirhosseini on Fri Nov 12, 2010 04:37 PM PST

 You got my hint aziz:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kmrb1LNjeE

Ebi aka Haaji


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Baharan

Amazingly Beautiful

by Baharan on Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:44 AM PST

Canadian Banff is one of the world's most popular travel destinations, and it is really very beautiful. Your essay on Canadian Banff is also amazingly beautiful. Thanks a lot!


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vildemose

You are marvelous

by vildemose on Fri Nov 12, 2010 08:23 AM PST

You are marvelous writer.

It's beautiful how you capture nature with words.

Quote from Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

- Captain Corelli's Mandolin

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbvyFHmJmT0


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

دکتر نوری عزیز

Shazde Asdola Mirza
Thu Nov 11, 2010 07:48 PM PST

از محبت شما متشکرم.

امیدوارم که در پناه خدا باشید و محفوظ از نیت بد.


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

Ebi jaan

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on Thu Nov 11, 2010 07:45 PM PST

Love sometimes means being sorry about things one does or says - especially to real people, not to an avatar.


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M. Saadat Noury

Delightful work

by M. Saadat Noury on Thu Nov 11, 2010 07:06 PM PST

So beautiful and poetical:

"The morning dew was melting on the grass and the encapsulated aroma was rushing out, to meet the warm inviting rays."

Thank you for sharing. 


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ebi amirhosseini

Shazdeh Jaan

by ebi amirhosseini on Thu Nov 11, 2010 04:40 PM PST

 Love means never having to say you're sorry:

 


عشقبازی به همین آسانی است

که گلی با چشمی

بلبلی با گوشی

رنگ زیبای خزان با روحی

نیش زنبور عسل با نوشی

کارهموارۀ باران با دشت

برف با قلۀ کوه

رود با ریشۀ بید

باد با شاخه و برگ

ابر عابر با ماه

چشمه‌ای با آهو

برکه‌ای با مهتاب

و نسیمی با زلف

دو کبوتر با هم

و شب و روز و طبیعت با ما!

عشقبازی به همین آسانی است…

شاعری با کلماتی شیرین

دستِ آرام و نوازش‌بخش بر روی سری

پرسشی از اشکی

و چراغ شب یلدای کسی با شمعی

و دل‌آرام و تسلا و مسیحای کسی یا جمعی

عشقبازی به همین آسانی است…

که دلی را بخری

بفروشی مهری

شادمانی را حرّاج کنی

رنج‌ها را تخفیف دهی

مهربانی را ارزانی عالم بکنی

و بپیچی همه را لای حریر احساس

گره عشق به آن‌ها بزنی

مشتری‌هایت را با خود ببری تا لبخند

عشقبازی به همین آسانی است…

هر که با پیش سلامی در اول صبح

هرکه با پوزش و پیغامی با رهگذری

هرکه با خواندن شعری کوتاه با لحن خوشی

نمک خنده بر چهره در لحظۀ کار

عرضۀ سالم کالای ارزان به همه

لقمۀ نان گوارایی از راه حلال

و خداحافظی شادی در آخر روز

و نگهداری یک خاطر خوش تا فردا

و رکوعی و سجودی با نیت شکر

عشقبازی به همین آسانی است





 

Ebi aka Haaji


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Flying Solo

Kind?

by Flying Solo on Thu Nov 11, 2010 04:10 PM PST

Shazde Jaan,

I calls it as I sees it  - no kindness intended.

Bear dropping eh?  And you could tell the difference from moose droppings? Even a fictional moose? :)

Happy trails (on or off the keyboard).

 


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Shazde Asdola Mirza

Dear Solo: thanks for the kind note

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on Thu Nov 11, 2010 03:58 PM PST

That trip I only saw elks ... and some bear droppings.

The other observations are fictional, of course, as usual ;-)


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Flying Solo

Beautiful

by Flying Solo on Thu Nov 11, 2010 03:42 PM PST

From start to finish - a feast for sure.

Oh the Chinook.

Any moose sighting Shazde?  


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