The Story Behind / Four Guardians
Series • October 22, 2021 • Written by Ashley Vemwell
The sight stole the breath from our lungs. These mountains, eternal and unyielding, seemed to meet our gaze. For a moment in time, the veil lifted, and all became clear—known without question—to see and be seen with eyes unclouded.
The wind tore through the alpine meadow, carrying with it winter. Each gust swept across the landscape with a raw and untamed force, scattering snowflakes that would become the first snowfall of the season to stick.
The season teetered on the edge, the autumn touch fading beneath the icy breath of winter. Its quiet determination announced its presence with each piercing inhale of the frigid air.
The ascent had been long, and our feet were heavier with each passing switchback. By the time we reached the meadow, our bodies craved rest and nourishment. Nestled against the shelter of rock and tree, we prepared a hot meal, the steam curling upward and vanishing into the dense, slate-gray clouds above.
The clouds concealed the typically expansive view. We were hungry. Shivering with cold. Dramatically questing our choice of vocation. At that moment, we felt so small, so insignificant amongst such a stunning yet unforgiving landscape.
For a time, we sat in silence, contemplating our next move, enveloped by the rhythm of the wind and the steadily increasing fall of snow. The landscape seemed dormant, its beauty hidden behind the shifting veil of weather.
But then, as if responding to some unseen influence, the clouds parted, as if a single window into clear skies opened up amongst the heavy gloom. A single beam of light pierced through, illuminating the distant peaks with a sudden and breathtaking clarity. The four jagged peaks emerged, their forms etched in stark contrast against the swirling tones of gray.
The sight stole the breath from our lungs. These mountains, eternal and unyielding, seemed to meet our gaze. For a moment in time, the veil lifted, and all became clear—known without question—to see and be seen with eyes unclouded.
There was no separation, no distance in space or time. In that brief moment, the world felt whole, as if all was in knowing communication that required no words.
We quickly pulled out our cameras and solidified this scene. It wasn’t just a photograph. It was a revelation, a reminder of the infinite energy that binds all things.
The light faded as quickly as it came, the clouds closing ranks to reclaim the peaks. Snowfall thickened, wrapping the meadow in its cold embrace once more. Yet, something had shifted. The weight of what we just witnessed settled into us with quiet permanence. All doubts, all questions, had melted away. Gratitude swelled as we stood there, knowing this place had offered us something beyond the physical and into the eternal.
We lingered only long enough to ground ourselves in awe and express our appreciation. Our descent was slow and steady, accompanied by the building storm nipping at our heels. The wilderness around us was shrouded once again, but the brief, blinding clarity stayed with us. A gift, one we carried down the mountain.
The natural world had revealed itself not just as a place but as a presence.
