New perspectives

I had thought that I was open to what God had planned for my life. I believed I had a grasp on His direction for me. I may have had some of it wrong.

Years ago, I saw a PBS series on the hotels built by the Canadian and Pacific Railroad to lure tourists into the western part of Canada, especially in the Rocky Mountains. I was particularly attracted to the one that included Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/). It seemed an idyllic setting and in the back of my mind, I wanted to go there one day, although at the time, it seemed a pipedream.

And then my younger son moved to Calgary, his wife’s hometown, with a new job and this spring a new baby. I of course wanted to meet my latest grandchild and planned a trip for September. God enlarged my view starting the first day. My son asked if I would like to go to Banff National Park and I quickly agreed. The original plan was to go to the city of Banff but he asked if there was another spot I would prefer, maybe Lake Louise? My heart leapt at his question and I told my story about the PBS documentary and my desire to see it in person.

I didn’t know it would alter my thinking.

We went up the Lake Louise gondola, thinking we’d have lunch at the top. The views across the valley from the gondola and at the top were beautiful and whetted my appetite to see the lake up close. My son had said in the car on the way that we could do lunch at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise instead and after realizing the restaurant was a bit far downhill for my knees, we made the switch.

I was so excited inside. I’m not sure it showed on my face (most of my emotions usually do) but inside I was jumping up and down with anticipation. We drove over to the hotel and after discovering there was a parking garage open to the public as well as guests, the magic began. We looked at menus in the foyer and asked a staff member for a recommendation for a lake view. He said of course the Lakeview Lounge was best for lunch but there might be a wait. It was only 30 minutes and we waited about 15. I was so thrilled with the beauty of the hotel itself, I didn’t realize how awesome the view was until we were seated at a window table overlooking the gardens and lake. I came very close to tears as I realized that the dream God had planted in my heart from the documentary was being realized in a way I had never imagined and that I was sharing it with people I love so much. The glacier lake is beautiful in itself, blue water, but it changes with the sky. I commented at one point that I could sit in the garden all day and watch as the lake reflected the differences in clouds and sun above.

I was overwhelmed the entire day with the beauty of the mountains. I’d been to the Rockies in Colorado once long ago to visit a friend and we did a motor trip. It was beautiful but the eastern Canadian section near Calgary stunned me with its majesty and lakes. I really thought that living near this beauty would be much like heaven for me.

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