"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land! And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!" Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memphis, TN. April 3, 1968.
The day after delivering this opus, Dr. King was assassinated.
It always sends a thrill through me when I think of this speech, because I've had the ecstasy of the "mountain" experience. And since the first time I have wanted nothing so much as to have it again and again, and to share it with the entire world.
Our friend Ken Karst of parks concessionaire Delaware North Corporation (DNC) took this photo of Frank and me in front of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, CA, in 2009. DNC operates the elegant Ahwahnee Historic Hotel a stone's throw away, and the more moderately priced Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.
Being in the presence of a mountain or on top of it, I am involuntarily humbled and at the same time exalted. I see and feel that I am an infinitesimal part of creation, yet inextricably linked to the great creative energy that brought all life into being. In that space my soul is filled and expanded. My heart oozes compassion, and I am one with all life.
I understand Dr. King's lack of fear. He may not have meant being on the mountain literally, but being in the mountains, I understand the feeling of being so wholly in the presence of God that every negative emotion flees. Since my husband Frank and I "discovered" the National Park System on our 12,000-mile road trip around the country, I've experienced more peace, beauty and awe in the national parks than I even knew was possible.
I count my life in terms of "BP" (before parks) and "AP" (after parks). If I had known these incredible places were out there, that they belong to me and every other American, that they can be experienced on a car ride easily, joyfully and comfortably, you could never have kept me home. The popular WWI song, "How ya gonna keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paree?" applies to me and parks.
The peerless peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in NC and TN are accessible to almost half of the country's population within a day's drive. NPS photo.
So on this day when we celebrate the inimitable Dr. King and the legacy of words and deeds he left to inspire us, I encourage you to take time to visit one of these mountains, even virtually. They say you have to imagine something and place the possibility in your mind before you can ever do something new, so check them out on your device. This 100th anniversary year of the National Park Service that protects our national parks on our behalf, I encourage you to dream, conceive, believe and plan how you will treat yourself to the mountain experience.
I'm sharing a few of my favorite views of mountains in national parks. You can see each of these views from a car, so it requires no exertion, thought you will be tempted to get out and explore. Each is in close proximity to a lodge or hotel so you have all the convenience of home, while feeling on top of the world.
The Grand Tetons in Grand Teton National Park, WY, are often described as the Oh! My! God! mountains, as they wring those words from you involuntarily. Lodging is available in the park or in nearby Jackson Hole. NPS photo.
Today in honor of Dr. King, entrance to every national park is FREE! And all year long if you're 62 years old or more, you can buy an America the Beautiful Lifetime Pass for $10. It allows you access to all 400-plus units of the system across the country, for the rest of your life! Otherwise, an $80 annual pass gives you the same privilege for a year. And did I mention that this covers everyone in your car? Really!