When Rocks Whisper a Name

I was dirt-biking among the dells near Prescott, Arizona. It is an amazing environment of rocks and granite, and the weather was cool making the ride almost quieter.

It is the end of 2014 and as I was biking, various scenes of life were passing in front of my mind’s eyes. The year, the past year, and life 9 years ago. It is almost 9 years since Ani died, and in moments of quiet introspection, she always visits me. This time I was thinking about her first attempt to ride a bicycle, her first helmet, her first scratched knee.

At the end of the ride, I was passing through formations that are spectacular in that they remind me of Gothic churches. At that very moment I thought I saw “ANI” written on one of the boulders. I kept on biking thinking that I was in the “zone” and my mind was playing games on me. Then, decided to return and check. Just in case…

And it was written “ANI DELLS” on the boulder! Who wrote it? Can it be just a coincidence? Is it really “ANI” or some other lettering? I remained perplexed for a long while.

Then looked around: near that boulder was a rock formation with a cactus plant at the base. Somehow that looked like an altar and candles!

And when I looked up, I was surrounded with the most impressive “Gothic” formation.

It was a special moment which I captured through a 1970’s Nikkor 55mm micro lens.  Now 2014 will end with a special memory of our beloved daughter.

As I was biking back, I kept wondering if all this is a coincidence.

December 22, 2014
©Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2014