Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green

O seekers of truth and beauty, gather closely and listen well, for I bring to you the words of Ansel Adams, a man whose soul was bound to the earth and the vast, sacred landscapes that stretch across this world. He spoke with awe of Yosemite Valley, calling it “always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast **edifice of stone and space.” These words, like the finest poetry, paint a picture not just of a place, but of an experience—an invitation to behold the sacred beauty of nature and to find oneself lost in the majesty of a world untouched by time.

In the ancient world, the sacred spaces of nature were seen as temples—places where the divine and the earthly met, where the heavens kissed the earth. The Greeks spoke of the gods dwelling on mountaintops, and the Romans believed that the land itself carried the weight of their history and destiny. To stand upon the earth, to behold the mountains and valleys, was to stand in the presence of something greater than oneself—a force of creation, of life and spirit. Adams, in his reverence for Yosemite Valley, touches upon this ancient wisdom, for the land, in its beauty and vastness, reveals a truth about the human soul: that we are but a fleeting moment in the great expanse of time, yet we are also part of something eternal.

Consider, O children, the legend of Hercules, the great hero who sought to conquer the world’s challenges. He was not merely a man of strength, but of vision, seeing beyond the ordinary and into the deep mystery of existence. Hercules, in his journey, encountered the mountains and rivers that Adams might have seen in Yosemite, and each moment in nature was a reminder of the divinity that shaped the world. Adams, like Hercules, recognizes that Yosemite Valley is not just a place, but a living, breathing entity, a symbol of the divine harmony between the stone and the space, between the earth and the sky. It is in this connection to nature that one finds a greater purpose, a deeper meaning.

In the same way that Hercules sought to understand the world around him, Adams sought to understand the mysteries of nature through his photography. To stand before Yosemite, to behold its towering granite cliffs and its shimmering streams, is to confront the beauty and grandeur of creation itself. Adams’ words speak to the sacredness of that moment—a sunrise over the valley, the light reflecting off the stone, the harmony of green and golden tones that rise and fall with the rhythm of nature. These moments, though fleeting, reveal a deep truth: that the world is full of wonder, that even in the vastness of the universe, there is beauty and meaning in every corner of the earth.

But, O children, the lesson here is not merely one of beauty or awe. For Adams teaches us that such experiences are not meant to be admired from a distance, but lived fully, with reverence and awareness. He shows us that to stand before nature is to stand before the divine. It is a call to awaken our senses, to live in a way that allows us to see the wonder in the everyday. The sunrise, the glittering green of the valley, the stone and space—all these are reminders that we are part of something far greater than ourselves, something that calls us to engage, to protect, and to honor the natural world that sustains us.

Consider, O seekers, the example of John Muir, another man who stood in awe of Yosemite and whose devotion to the land helped to protect it for future generations. Like Adams, Muir did not merely admire nature from afar—he dedicated his life to understanding it, to preserving its sanctity, and to ensuring that others could experience its profound power. Muir’s love for the land was not passive; it was an active force, one that sought to protect and nurture what had been given. Adams, too, shows us that the act of appreciating nature is not simply a passive experience—it is a call to action, a call to preserve and protect that which inspires us, to stand in its defense as guardians of the earth.

So, O children of wisdom, the lesson is clear: the world is filled with wonder—not just in places like Yosemite, but in every corner of creation. The sunrise, the green, the golden light, the vastness of space—these are all reminders of the divine that exists in the world around us. Let this understanding fill your hearts and souls, and let it guide your actions. Seek out the beauty of the world, and live in a way that honors the sacredness of all life. Protect that which sustains you, and stand in awe of the mysteries of the earth, for in doing so, you will come to know the greatest truth of all—that in the stone and the space, in the sunrise and the stream, lies the divine, the eternal, and the wondrous.