Mountains. Creatures of infinite stillness. Occasional rockfall, rumbling avalanches, water trickling along its never ending migration ,like fleas on a sleeping dog, these are the only signs of motion a mountain ever reveals. Stalwart, bulky sentries of Mother Nature assigned the burden of just sitting there, only infrequently - like every few millenia or so - afforded the luxury of getting up for a stretch.
But in this static state, mountains hide a profound energy. One not visible, or directly obvious for that matter, but as powerful as any force on the planet. Authorative like a raging river; significant as a howling coastal wind, this power is one humanity rarely looks to.
Consider the downward delight of skiing and snowboarding. These are some of life's few experiences where speed and momentum exist without need for a motor. The spinning orb that is our planet has become the engine of enjoyment, and the hieghts of land manifest the omnipresence of graity in what physicists call, "potential energy". And it is beautiful.
It's hard to seperate ourselves from the humanity of the world. We see faces in everything: from glaciers to the moon, from the sky looking down at the earth, the earth looking up at the sky. Faces are everywhere, each one with its own emotion and story, intrigue and personality.
The fact that we see human faces throughout the natural world is a fascinating confusion. That we even refer to a mountain's aspect as a "face" is even more intriguing. Some would say it's creation's omnipresent spirit allowing herself to be seen. Others might brush these images off as optical illusions...tricks on the mind. But these faces are too distinct, sometimes, to pass them off as mere coincidence.
What if landscapes like mountains and clous and the moon do have personalities? What if they are trying to look back at us, just like we look at them? It's a romantic idea, maybe even a little far-fetched. But if we see ourselves imprinted on nature's canvas, might it be easier to see how important we are to its harmony? If there's one thing the world needs right now, it's romantic ideas.
Kootenay Mountain Culture