ALASKA

Pierce Maguire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fokaVq-fbFQ

     I was on a cruise along the coast of Alaska. Most of my immediate family were there, with the exception of my sister who couldn’t make it. My family played an important part by motivating me to go and see the sights, to open my eyes up to the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. The first thing we did that helped me really see the true beauty was a bike, hike, and river raft. As we biked along the path in the cool, summer, Alaskan air, I saw lush green trees, and a fresh pine smell filled the air. Next was the hike where I saw animals living in an almost untouched environment. The river raft was where I experienced the adventurous thrill that is the Alaskan culture. We rode a raft down the cool, blue water of an Alaskan river.
    

     There were many things that made me see the beauty of Alaska. One of them was when my family and I hiked on top of a glacier. I had never felt more alive in my life. Hiking on top of the cool, light blue ice was exhilarating. My family played an important part in this because they were with me when we hiked. They were the ones who motivated me to push forward. My family were the ones who encouraged me to ice climb down a frozen ledge. Something I probably wouldn’t have done if my family wasn’t there to encourage me and motivate me. I am glad they were there to help me open my eyes to the raw and untouched landscape. The sheer beauty of all the ice, and the fact that I got to enjoy it with the people I care about, my family. Without them I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did. I wouldn’t have stepped out of my comfort zone as much either. I wouldn’t have seen the beauty of the nature of the Alaskan wilderness.
    

     There was also the time that my family and I took a float plane over the snow topped mountains, and the cool, undisturbed lakes, and the lush green tree tops. It really spoke to me. It was beautiful with a bird’s eye view. It taught me to look at the big picture.  The mountains had snowy tops despite it being the middle of summer. I saw big horned sheep on top of the mountain, who all lived together on top of those mountains. The nice, blue undisturbed lakes sent me a message of oneness.
    

     That is a moment that my life changed. That is where the change happened. It was a change that defined me as a person. This trip gave me a new outlook at beauty and nature. I feel that this trip defined me as the person that I am today. That trip was my coming of age story. The trip opened my eyes to the beauty of nature.