Maybe it was all the open spaces, or the true power of nature, I can’t be sure, but yesterday, under the vast blue skies and within the reds and tans and greens of Arches National Park, karma has never been more visible.  

We were at about the 30 minute marker of the line to get inside the park. The cars extended for just as long behind us. There was only one lane upon. No honking. We inched forward slowly. People seemed patient for the beauty that awaited. But then there’s always that one person. That one  who thinks certainly he must be smarter than the 50 cars in front of him. So he went around. Straight to the front of the line. Straight to where his lane had been clearly coned off. You could hear the thoughts of every driver — “don’t let him in…” He blinkered and pushed. I guess it was too much for the woman in front of us. Just before we reached the entry, she let him in. If our eye rolls were any stronger, we could have tipped the car, but we paid the ranger and began our journey.  

It was magnificent from the start. Breathtaking. All was forgotten. Who could be angry in all this beauty!!! We wouldn’t even needed to see it to be happy — but it did make us smile — as karma often will. It wasn’t even a mile in. Just around one of the first corners. Not at a pull-over lookout point, but clearly just on the desperation side of the road. He sat there, the one that tried cheat the system, hood up, head in — broken down. 

Now I’ve seen karma at its finest before, but never this fast. I don’t wish anyone harm. No ill will. But it’s not a bad lesson in “you get what you put out there.” We were extra friendly to the other visitors in the park. Aaaaah, the nature of things.