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Early in the morning when only you and the river are up, before the day gets going and the noise and activity starts, there is a quiet time that Mother Natures creates just for those that get up and seek it out. It varies with each viewing. Sometimes you get the full sun glinting off the river’s surface. Every rock, stem, ripple in perfect focus. A notice that the day is going to be blindingly beautiful.

Sometimes you get this. A gentle mist flowing down the river, hiding this, revealing that, letting you know that today could be a day for reflection. One that you can proceed through at a more leisurely pace. A time for seeing and thinking and figuring out just where you belong in the over all scheme of things. One that makes you slow down until your heartbeat matches the rivers flow.

This is a forgotten bend in the Yellowstone river as it finds its way through the Hayden valley. In a few moments or maybe a few minutes depending on its flow it will start to accelerate and rush towards the precipice of Yellowstone Falls a few miles downstream. There it will rush headlong over the brink to tumble and splash its way as it careens down the tumultuous channel of the Yellowstone gorge. It will be a different river then. But for right now that is something for the future. This is the time to stand still, immersed in the wonderful stillness, letting the calmness flow over you as the river flows through its banks. Today is a good day to be here.