You cannot see the Grand Canyon in one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it you have to toil from month to month through its labyrinths.
Interpretation
The Grand Canyon is a vast and complex landscape that cannot be fully appreciated at once; it requires time and effort to explore its depths.
John Wesley Powell's quote emphasizes the idea that the Grand Canyon, much like many significant experiences in life, cannot be understood or appreciated in a single glance. Instead, it invites us to invest time and effort to explore its intricate details, suggesting that true understanding comes from gradual exploration and perseverance rather than superficial observation.
In practice
In a motivational speech about the process of achieving goals, this quote can illustrate the value of perseverance.
The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.
"What's miraculous about a spider's web?" said Mrs. Arable. "I don't see why you say a web is a miracle--it's just a web."_x000D_ _x000D_ "Ever try to spin one?" asked Mr. Dorian.
I'm haunted by the thought of what Ray Anderson calls 'tomorrow's child,' asking why we didn't do something on our watch to save sharks and bluefin tuna and squids and coral reefs and the living ocean while there still was time. Well, now is that time.
Pay attention to the beauty surrounding you.
Lord, I do fear Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year My soul is all but out of me-let fall No burning leaf; prithee, let no bird call.
The first crocodile I ever caught was at nine years of age, and it was a rescue.
Those trees are your lungs. The earth recycles as your body. The rivers recycle as your circulation. The air is your breath. So what do we call the environment?
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