The Day the Dream Died
Once upon a time, before the catastrophe called COVID-19, I had planned to visit the Grand Canyon for the summer of 2020 and stay on the North Rim because it was far less crowded than the South Rim. I wanted beauty and quiet and wilderness. So, in 2019, I was gathering information and commitments from family members to come with me because I couldn't afford it on my own. Found the ideal cabin for 4-5 of us to stay in -- it had a double bed, a bunkbed and a small single bed. Perfect! And it was near the edge of land, a short walk to the majesty of the northern end of the Grand Canyon. We would dine in the Lodge and hopefully I could snag a reservation for a table by the windows so we could see the Canyon while we ate.
But the whole world stopped in 2020. We couldn't go. Cancelled the cabin reservation and, luckily, I hadn't bought my airline ticket yet. I waited, and life went on, and then my finances took a nose dive so I never got there . . . before more than 106 North Rim buildings were destroyed including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge built in 1937, the North Rim Visitor Center, many guest cabins, employee housing, a 400-year-old tree a Canyon employee let people hug -- all gone, burned down in July 2025 by the Dragon Bravo Fire that was started by lightning. US Forest employees thought they could let the area burn in a controlled fire, but then the winds came. We know what that means--no human control. As of August 29th, the fire has burned 145,504 acres and is now 75% contained. At least that's a bit of good news.
Eventually the Grand Canyon Lodge and surrounding structures will be rebuilt, but it's not the same. I will never get to eat dinner in the historic 1937 Grand Canyon Lodge. I will never get to hug the 400-year-old tree. I will never get to stay in the little funky cabin I chose. It will never be what it was in my lifetime. I had a dream, but it died in a fire.
The lesson in this, I guess, is to jump on your dreams, go for it NOW. Even if there's a delay, keep the dream alive (which I didn't) because you never know when something -- a fire, hurricane, earthquake, illness, injury, anything at all -- could stop you, and then, if you're not careful, the dream is gone.
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