Echos From the Canyon

October 7th, 2023 McCall, Idaho, Payette National Forest

Deep in the wilderness, on the canyon’s edge, in the most unlikely of places, stood a small gathering of friends and family. They had made the trek to this special location with some offerings of complaint, but all with love in their hearts. They gathered on the ridge above the aspen stand to witness the marriage of their loved ones, Daisy and Ray.

“They wouldn’t do this for just anyone, Daisy.” Ray had said as they led the procession up the trail.

“It was the best way to be closest to mom,” Daisy replied. “I wanted her to be here.”

Daisy and Ray marched on hand in hand as the small group followed behind them. The hikers all wore appropriate footwear, which was in sharp contrast with the rest of their attire. The men in the wedding party, including Ray, wore matching hiking gear in various fall colors. To add a touch of elegance and show respect for the event, the women wore mid-length, sleeveless A-line dresses made of flowing chiffon fabric in a watercolor autumn floral print.

Daisy was wearing a low backed, v-neck, form fitting vintage lace wedding dress, with a flared skirt. She gathered the hem of her floor-length gown and fastened it at her waist with hooks and eyelets to prevent her dress from getting dirty. The trail they walked on, though rocky in places, also had some dusty parts.

After everyone had caught their breath when they reached the top, Ray and Daisy stood facing each other, looking down past the officiant at the canyon. The small group of witnesses faced them, looking away from the low hanging sun.

The ceremony began, and Ray and Daisy exchanged vows. At the end of the service, on cue, everyone shouted, and the sounds of their voices reverberated back and forth down the canyon in ever diminishing waves until the beauty of silence fell.

Daisy and Ray joined in matrimony, feeling at peace and in total harmony with each other and the world around them. Their union resulted from unwavering support and determination. The journey to this point in their young lives had been circuitous.

October 7th, 2022 McCall, ID, Payette River

The sun hung low in the autumn sky, casting its warm golden rays across the river. A thousand sparkles came alive in a dance that bounced off the surface of the rushing water. Daisy couldn’t count how many summer days she had spent as a child on the banks of this meandering river. Her parents had made sure their daughter experienced nature and all its beauty. Coming back to the river was Daisy’s way of staying connected to the memories of her folks who had since passed away. Being an adult orphan in her mid-twenties, Daisy felt a sense of loneliness and detachment as she struggled to find others among her peers who could empathize with her.

“It’s getting late, Daisy. Maybe you should wait until next time.” Ray said as he sat beside his girlfriend on the river’s edge. “Stay with me and let’s enjoy the sunset together.”

“I think there is enough daylight to explore one more canyon today. This might be my last chance.” Daisy sighed. They were to leave for home, a four-hour drive to Twin Falls, in the morning. Soon the weather would turn making these exploratory visits to the river impractical.

Daisy leaned backwards, resting on her boyfriend’s chest as they sat on the bank. Tilting her head up under his chin, she closed her eyes, allowing the rush of the river to wash over her. Like the echo she remembered from when she was a girl—she could almost hear it now. The images of her childhood and her parents whispered through the corridors of her memory, but grew fainter with each passing day.

“Let’s go on an adventure!” her mother had said, grabbing Daisy’s small hand and squeezing it tightly. Daisy remembered her mother leading her through a meadow and along a rocky ridge. On sturdy little six-year-old legs, Daisy tried to keep up.

Daisy remembered looking down at the tops of the tall trees that stood like sentinels marking the river’s path. Across the ridge, they walked through another stand of aspens. A lovely play of light and shadow emerged on the ground as the sun filtered through the leaves, guiding them deeper into the wilderness.

“Listen,” her mother whispered when they came to a stop on the edge of an abyss. “Hallu!” Her mother shouted.

Daisy’s mother’s sudden outburst took her by surprise, but the return of her voice made Daisy’s heart leap and soar. “Ha-ha lu, lu, lu…” they heard in diminishing sounds until it disappeared.

With wide-eyed wonder, Daisy had stared at her mother.

“Daisy!” her mother shouted into the canyon, only to have the mountains return her voice like a playful mimic, “Dai-ai…zee, zee, zee...”

“It’s called an echo. Now, you try,” Daisy’s mom offered, but Daisy couldn’t make a sound. Hearing her mother’s voice bouncing off the rocks was like magic. Her mother was magic and Daisy didn’t know how to do magic.

“Don’t be shy.” Her mother encouraged. “Say anything you want to.”

“Ack,” Daisy popped off a small, sharp sound from in her throat. The canyon said nothing in reply.

“Louder,” her mother nodded.

“Ahh-HAH!” Daisy said, and the echo said, “Ahh-HAH, HAH, HAH…”

Daisy’s mouth went round, matching her still wide-open eyes.

The mother and child stayed there and played with the echo. Daisy would say something, then it was her mother’s turn. It was fun trying to fool the echo when they both shouted something different at the same time, but the echo never got confused. They tired of the game long before the echo would have given up.

They sat near the canyon that day and many more afterwards. Sometimes wrapped in coats and blankets, they chatted, effortlessly moving between fantasy and reality. Princesses and fairytales gave way to dream jobs and dream weddings. In their own private realm, mother and daughter found immense joy in being together in their wilderness paradise.

Daisy remembered those times as if it were yesterday. Deep in thought, Daisy stood at the river’s edge, wanting to fill the emptiness inside where her mother used to be. Torn between staying with Ray or heading out to find that elusive spot she and her mother had discovered many years ago, Daisy struggled to decide. She willed herself to move, knowing that finding that place might allow her to hear her mother’s voice once more.

With Daisy still leaning against him, Ray stood behind her now and felt the rise and fall of her lungs. Then he sensed a larger expansion, followed by a deep exhale. All summer, with each unsuccessful visit, he noticed her angst building. He feared they couldn’t move on with their life plans until Daisy found this magic echo that had eluded her.

“If you’re going, you’d better get started.” Ray patted her arms as if to prod her into action. The canyon loomed above them and the sun was going down.

It had been six months since Daisy’s mom had passed away after a brief battle with ovarian cancer and Ray knew his girlfriend was still processing the grief. Since early spring, Daisy had been traipsing about the canyons along the river’s gorge for reasons he tried to understand. It had to do with a childhood memory of her and her mom and involved the river and an echo.

Supporting the love of his life in her quest, Ray had tried the logical approach, asking Daisy to remember every little detail. When Daisy grew weary of trying, she said, “I will recognize the place when I see it.” Ray knew no one could help her. This was something Daisy had to do on her own.

Driven by the belief that the echo was her sole tie to her mother’s memory, Daisy felt compelled to locate it. With a heaviness of heart, she pulled herself away from the comforting embrace. The lack of findings on her countless hikes weighed on her heavily. The elusive echo served as a poignant reminder of her mother’s fading memories.

“I need to find it again,” she resolved. If she could find the echo, she could reclaim a slice of the childhood joy they had once shared between them.

With determination, she marched along the river’s edge, returning to a canyon she had yet to explore. Channeling her mother’s spirit, she imagined she was retracing steps she had taken as a child.

Up she climbed. When she came upon a meadow, she whispered, ‘Is this it?’ The trees were taller, their branches reaching into the sky, but the essence of the place spoke to her. She came to a cliff and looked down. She shouted into the abyss, but the canyon walls were silent in reply.

As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, Daisy’s hope flickered. She paused to catch her breath. Closing her eyes, she listened as she leaned against a boulder that still held the warmth of the noonday sun. She heard the leaves rustling in the breeze. From afar, came the scree of a hawk. Suddenly, her eyes opened when the image of the treetops came to mind. “See how the leaves quiver in the wind?” She remembered her mother’s description.

“Mom?” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “Are you here?”

Amidst the heartbreak and yearning, the leaves stirred softly. Daisy heard her mother in the breeze. ‘Climb higher.’ She cocked her head as if to hear more. ‘Don’t give up,’ it seemed to say. ‘Just keep going.’ Warmed by the reassurance of an undeniable presence, the unspoken words encouraged Daisy.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and with each step, Daisy sank into her natural surroundings. Though the rays of light no longer passed through the leaves above, Daisy could see through the mind’s eye the patterns of their shadows leading her on.

Climbing to the far side of the aspen stand, she found a ledge. She thought she heard the rushing river far below bouncing up the canyon and a spark of recognition ignited. The air felt electric with the familiar sound. Her fingers tingled, and she felt her mother’s hand in hers.

“Don’t be shy.” She thought she heard her mother say. Straining to catch her mother’s words, only the pounding of her own heartbeat reached her ears.

“I don’t know how to do magic.” Daisy beseeched, as her mother’s presence faded away. “No!” she cried out, reaching her hand towards the canyon. She hadn’t realized she’d shouted until she heard the sound ricocheting off the walls. Daisy stood frozen, eyes wide, then she shouted, “Mom!”

The canyon responded, the echo returned like a tender hug, reverberating in the hush that surrounded her. “Mom, om! om!…” it mirrored her voice back.

Daisy laughed through her tears. Her mother had appeared once again, beside her in the canyon, holding her hand. The echo was more than just sound. It was their connection. It kept safe the memories of their adventures and was a reminder that love never truly fades. Her mother’s love would follow Daisy wherever she went.

As night descended, Daisy made her way back to camp. Waiting for her on the river bank sat Ray. Without a word, she snuggled in beside him as the stars emerged against the indigo sky.

“You found it.” Ray felt the tension in his own body waning to match his girlfriend’s dissipating anxiety as he captured her in a close embrace. With no need for anyone to tell him, he knew her quest had ended. She fulfilled her mission.

Daisy shut her eyes and heard the whispers of the water. Her mother was still there, guiding her along life’s unmarked path.

“I found the spot, and I found her.” Daisy’s soft words carried the weight of eternal love between a mother and daughter. “I will take you up there to meet her one day.”

“I’d like that,” Ray said, then added, “I need to ask for her blessing.”

Daisy stiffened, then melted into Ray’s arms as she realized what she had to look forward to. She no longer had to lament her mother’s absence. Never would her mother really miss any of Daisy’s life moments. In spirit, her mom would always be right there.