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A Poem & a Place
We Are 8 Billion Unique Windows on the World
A powerful spiritual insight from Mary Colter’s amazing Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon National Park.
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I am fortunate to live close to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. I have been there many times. My favorite place to visit in the park is the Desert View Watchtower at the East Entrance. I like the overall view from the tower of the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River, and Painted Desert.
But I especially love walking up the Tower.
Architect Mary Colter designed the Desert View Watchtower, which was completed in 1932. Her intent was a design that matched the natural and cultural geography of the region. (You can read the Tower’s history and see photos and a video on the National Park Service website.)
What always amazes me about the tower is how each window in it gives a unique view of the Grand Canyon and its surroundings. The top and bottom floors have large picture windows. But in between, the windows are of varied sizes and seem randomly scattered as they follow the staircase to the top floor.
