| Indiana Jones and the Volcano
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| | a few inches of the mass. To my surprise,
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| Experiencing a live volcano was on top of
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| | the air felt like I had just opened a
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| our agenda when my friend Rob and I
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| | 400-degree oven. The surface was so hot,
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| visited the exotic land of Costa Rica.
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| | I instinctively jumped back a few feet.
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| The plane touched down in the capital
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| | When we first arrived earlier in the
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| city of San Jose, and we headed for the
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| | morning, the extremely cold wind and
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| car rental to pick up a 4x4 and a map to
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| | pelting rain had so neutralized the
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| Mt. Arenal, the nearest active volcano.
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| | radiant heat from the lava, we didn't
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| After an arduous drive through torrential
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| | even notice the temperature.
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| rain, we finally arrived in a quiet
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| | But the heat was not the only aspect of
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| village supposedly at the foot of a
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| | the lava that the elements had concealed
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| fire-belching monster. I say supposedly
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| | from us. I picked up a small twig and
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| because it was so foggy, we weren't even
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| | approached the foot of the black mound
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| sure a volcano existed. We couldn't see a
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| | that had gushed from the top of the
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| tree a block away, let alone a volcanic
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| | mountain. Getting as close as I could to
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| mountain looming 5,000 feet above us.
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| | the sulphurous heat, I stuck the branch
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| Locals claim if you really listen
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| | into the rain-drenched ground about two
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| closely, you can hear the beast rumble.
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| | inches in front of the lava. Within a
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| We never heard a whimper. By the second
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| | minute, the lava hill reached the stick
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| misty day and night of no sighting, I
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| | and buried it!
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| suspected the local population had
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| | Suddenly my whole body reeled with the
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| fabricated the story of an erupting
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| | involuntary shudder of recognition. For
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| volcano in order to attract tourist
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| | the last hour Rob and I had been walking
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| dollars. A volcano of convenience. No
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| | on a live, moving lava flow! And Rob was
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| muss, no fuss. Just some imaginary
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| | still up there running around on the
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| rumbling every so often that only the
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| | molten granite.
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| locals hear from a volcano no one ever
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| | Another eruption, three times louder than
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| sees because of the rain and fog!
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| | the first one, filled the air. My ears
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| Waiting out the rain, we were eating a
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| | throbbed from the deafening boom. My feet
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| tasty native dinner of red beans and rice
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| | and body registered avalanche after
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| at a colorful local dive when the owner
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| | avalanche of crashing rock careening down
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| of the café strolled over to our table.
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| | the side of the volcano. Descending the
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| Without invitation, he plopped himself
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| | rough trail, I ran head over heels in a
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| down. Miguel appeared to me exactly as
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| | panic, determined to outrun any
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| I've always imagined don Juan of Carlos
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| | rockslides coming my way. After a
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| Castaneda fame to look. His face was dark
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| | half-hour of the fastest, long distance
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| and swarthy with a kind but inscrutable
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| | race I've ever run, I arrived at our jeep
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| expression. Staring straight into our
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| | safely sheltered under a broad-armed
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| eyes, he declared in halting English,
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| | tree. Collapsing into the front seat, I
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| "You want to know volcano, not just look
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| | fought to catch my breath.
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| at it."
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| | As my pulse and mind quieted, I was
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| Being a veteran traveler, I have learned
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| | overcome with fear for the safety of my
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| to be agreeable in a foreign country and,
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| | friend still walking around on the moving
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| in general, say "yes" to practically
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| | bed of liquid rock in the midst of
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| everything spoken to me by the locals.
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| | periodic violent explosions. I began
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| Not realizing the full import of the
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| | feeling intensely responsible. I'd left a
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| distinction between the words Miguel had
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| | young kid in my charge on top of an
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| used, I responded amicably, "Yeah, yeah,
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| | erupting volcano! A nightmarish vision
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| of course, we'd like to know the
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| | bombarded me. I saw his parents, who had
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| volcano."
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| | entrusted their son with me, watching
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| Without another word, Miguel turned over
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| | local authorities dig through the rubble
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| my paper place mat and began to draw a
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| | of the volcano searching for the body of
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| crooked line. We watched in silence as he
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| | the lost American youth. Feeling so
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| guided the pencil over the grease-stained
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| | guilty and worried I could neither relax
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| paper in absorbed concentration. What
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| | nor rest, I decided I must leave the jeep
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| emerged was a detailed map of twists and
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| | and hike back up the volcano. I had to
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| turns with landmarks indicated by little,
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| | find Rob.
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| kid-like pictures of trees, stone walls
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| | No sooner had I opened the door of the
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| and tiny shacks to represent a village.
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| | jeep than an insistent inner impulse told
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| Finished, Miguel sighed and spoke
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| | me to stay put and listen inside for
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| directly into our souls with piercing,
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| | further instructions. When I receive such
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| green eyes. "This map take you to
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| | forceful commands from my inner coach, I
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| volcano. To be with volcano-to feel and
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| | usually obey. Quieting myself as much as
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| know spirit of volcano." Then he laughed
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| | possible under the circumstances, I
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| softly and cautioned us we would be
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| | endeavored to get in touch with my next
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| scared because the volcano would
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| | best intuitive move. I challenged myself,
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| definitely erupt when we were there. "But
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| | Was it wrong what I did? Was it selfish
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| volcano not harm you," he added hastily.
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| | and self-absorbed to look after my own
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| With a wistful look in his face, Miguel
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| | safety and leave a young kid behind?
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| shared how he has picnicked at the edge
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| | After I felt all the intense emotions
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| of the volcano his whole life and the
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| | stirred up from asking these
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| towering inferno had never harmed him.
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| | soul-searching questions, I received a
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| His words only mildly consoled me.
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| | very strong message directly from Spirit.
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| The sound of the cold, drenching rain
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| | My inner knowing spoke to me
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| woke us at dawn. We still couldn't see or
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| | emphatically, saying:
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| hear the volcano. Since the downpour
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| | "You did the right thing. You followed
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| discouraged us from any tourist activity,
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| | your intuition. If you recall
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| we decided we may as well get soaking wet
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| | specifically, your inner coach told you
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| following Miguel's map to wherever it
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| | that it was dangerous for you to stay,
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| led.
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| | and that you needed to leave immediately.
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| We drove up the steep mountainside until
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| | It said nothing about your friend Rob.
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| the rugged jeep road ended abruptly at a
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| | Nothing at all. You were right to follow
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| craggy cliff. I was very surprised
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| | your guidance and leave. In fact, had you
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| Miguel's hand-drawn map actually
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| | stayed, you may very well have endangered
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| corresponded to what we found on our
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| | your friend's safety! Had you stayed, you
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| journey. We followed our friend's
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| | would have been out of alignment with
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| makeshift chart through a hole in a
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| | your intuition and, therefore, out of
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| fence, up a circuitous rocky path, over
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| | harmony and integrity with yourself. This
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| many collapsed lava rock walls and past
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| | discordant state has a strong tendency to
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| long-deserted fruit orchards. The trail
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| | interfere with another person's ability
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| ended at an imposing 300-foot wall of
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| | to tap into and follow his or her own
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| solid volcanic lava flow so jagged and
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| | knowing. Had you stayed, you may have
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| sharp we couldn't climb it.
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| | hindered Rob's ability to hear and heed
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| Fortunately for us, Miguel had
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| | his inner direction. You took the most
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| anticipated this challenge. At the edge
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| | helpful, loving and appropriate action by
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| of the lava flow, his map showed a
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| | following the letter and spirit of your
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| naturally camouflaged trail through the
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| | intuition. You following you own internal
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| dense rainforest. We plunged into the
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| | urging allowed your friend the space to
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| dark primeval forest. The jungle growth
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| | realize he must rely on his own internal
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| was so thick with vines and roots, the
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| | wisdom."
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| path so muddy and slippery, I felt we'd
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| | Spirit's message was a fascinating new
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| dropped into a comic scene right out of
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| | lesson in intuitive guidance for me. In
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| the Harrison Ford movie "Indiana Jones
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| | general, and for its reassurance in my
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| and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." During
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| | present predicament, I was grateful for
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| one hilarious moment, Rob and I both lost
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| | this fresh perspective. I never before
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| our footing and, clutching each other,
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| | realized the precision of intuition. I
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| slid back down fifty feet of the mudslide
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| | never before understood the independence
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| trail. Grabbing overhanging vines,
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| | of one person's guidance from the inner
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| Tarzan-style, saved the day-and our
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| | counsel of another person in a shared
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| necks! Our guardian angels must get a lot
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| | situation.
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| of overtime pay!
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| | At the exact moment I realized the import
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| Undaunted and filled with the rush of
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| | of what I was being told by my inner
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| adventure, Rob and I helped each other
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| | coach, Rob came streaking down the trail
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| stand up, pull ourselves together and
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| | toward the jeep. In the fury of the last
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| restart the climb. Clawing and scratching
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| | violent eruption, Rob received his own
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| our way through the rainforest, we
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| | internal signal to vamoose. Guided by his
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| finally reached the top of the lava flow.
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| | own inner compass, he immediately took
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| My first impression was how very windy
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| | the Mudslide Express through the jungle
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| and cold it was up there for a tropical
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| | to safety. I was extremely relieved-and
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| climate. The pouring rain and dense fog
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| | appreciative to Spirit-that my nightmare
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| had persisted, obliterating the view of
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| | vision of Rob's demise was averted. I
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| anything more than a foot in front of us.
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| | gave silent thanks for the eternal
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| As we inched our way along the top of the
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| | lessons I learned from our escapade.
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| volcanic rock, I remembered how Miguel
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| | Back on solid ground, Rob and I were
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| had told us of his many idyllic picnics
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| | anxious to leave the mountain rains and
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| here with his friends. Not very conducive
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| | clouds. We hopped into the jeep and sped
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| weather for a picnic on this morning!
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| | toward the sunny western coast of Costa
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| Suddenly, a booming roar filled the air,
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| | Rica. Driving down the mountainside, we
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| followed by a very powerful rumble that
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| | both lapsed in and out of thankful
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| reverberated throughout our bodies. We
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| | silence for being alive. Perhaps the next
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| felt the Earth roll in one undulating
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| | day, the morning's events would seem a
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| wave after another! Even though Rob and I
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| | great adventure, but, right then, the
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| had never experienced an eruption before,
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| | very real danger we'd just survived
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| we instinctively knew this was the
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| | remained very palpable and raw. Our
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| volcano showing its might. The ground
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| | minds, emotions and physical bodies were
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| continued to heave in unnerving spasms.
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| | still remembering and replaying our
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| People-size boulders sped past us down
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| | narrow escape.
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| the slope. Flying rocks were propelled
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| | Suddenly, Rob and I experienced
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| into nearby trees, the sheer force
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| | simultaneous intuitive hits to pull over
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| imbedding the projectiles cleanly into
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| | and get out of the jeep. Leaning against
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| their trunks. We heard and felt nearby
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| | the vehicle, we turned as one toward the
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| avalanches crashing their way down the
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| | top of the mountain we'd just descended.
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| mountain. We could only see a fraction of
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| | As if waiting for us to stop our downward
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| the devastation because of the blinding
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| | trek away from the mountain and turn our
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| downpour, but our bodies definitely
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| | gaze upward, the clouds parted to reveal
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| registered the massive rearrangement all
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| | the awesome Mt. Arenal volcano for the
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| around us.
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| | very first time since our arrival in
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| A sharp electric terror shot through
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| | Costa Rica so many days earlier. The
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| every cell of my body. Its message was
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| | dense mist lifted. We saw exactly where
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| explicit and commanding, "Leave! Now! You
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| | we had been hiking on the lava flow. We
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| must go now to save your life."
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| | pinpointed where the tree line ended and
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| I shouted to Rob, "We're out of here!
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| | the lava flow began. We'd been standing
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| It's not safe!" To my astonishment, he
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| | only a hundred yards from the open mouth
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| shook his head from side to side
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| | of the volcano when it erupted!
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| indicating he didn't want to go.
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| | The restaurant owner Miguel had promised
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| "I'm staying. This is too cool!" he
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| | we would be with, we would feel and we
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| yelled over the roar of the wind and
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| | would know the spirit of the volcano. He
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| falling rock. He was nineteen years old.
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| | said the mountain would definitely erupt
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| His sense of novelty and exploration was
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| | when we were there. And he'd promised the
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| still stronger than his sense of danger
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| | volcano would not harm us. The rain and
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| and good judgment. I started to argue. I
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| | his crude map tricked us into going so
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| made zero impression on the brash, young
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| | close to the volcano that we did, indeed,
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| daredevil.
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| | get to know the volcano, not just view
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| Then another explosion rocked our world.
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| | it.
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| I watched in horror as the heat, ash and
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| | Was it the spirit of the volcano that
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| force of the blast denuded a huge
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| | sent Miguel to us? -and turned the skies
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| 200-foot tree in one second, stripping
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| | into a torrential downpour in order to
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| off all its leaves and limbs. If this
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| | obscure the treacherous nature of our
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| volcano could do that to a tree, it could
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| | journey so we wouldn't be scared off? Rob
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| do the same to us! I knew with certainty
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| | and I agreed, stranger things have
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| I was supposed to leave posthaste.
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| | happened. One thing was certain. If we'd
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| Jumping off the top of the lava mound
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| | been able to see where we were going, we
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| right into the rainforest, I bolted
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| | would never have walked as close as we
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| without another thought. I threw myself
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| | did to the mouth of the cauldron.
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| into the "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
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| | Now, viewing the majesty of Mt. Arenal,
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| express mudslide, riding the flowing
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| | we were humbled and ever so grateful for
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| water and sludge through the dense jungle
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| | the experience of having been able to
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| growth down the side of the still-quaking
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| | safely feel the mountain's power and
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| mountainside. In what seemed like only a
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| | personality. As we were sending out our
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| few seconds, I arrived at the bottom of
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| | thankfulness to and admiration of the
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| the lava flow. The path was certainly
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| | volcano, the mountain erupted again with
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| faster and easier going down than
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| | an explosion twice as high as the volcano
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| climbing up! For a brief moment, I lay
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| | itself. Two miles of elegant ash plume
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| soaked to the bone, resting in a mud
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| | shot up into the dark blue sky. The event
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| puddle, my ripped clothes covered with
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| | was quite dramatic and very humbling.
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| brown muck.
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| | We knew the volcano was responding to our
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| Recovering some of my composure, I became
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| | love and appreciation for its gift to us
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| aware for the first time of heat
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| | that day. Then the clouds closed back in
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| radiating from the lava flow smoldering
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| | and our mighty friend said good-bye,
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| several feet to my left. I crawled in the
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| | leaving us forever changed and enriched
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| direction of the flow until I was within
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| | by its friendship.
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