At 74 square miles, Catalina Island is home to over 60 endemic species, one of which is the ironwood tree. California was once as populated by ironwood trees as it is now by oak trees. But for some unknown reason, they all disappeared after the last ice age, with the exception for a few remnant groves on the Channel Islands. High above the camp where I volunteered, one such grove grew, towering relics of a bygone era, creating a natural cathedral in the landscape and allowing me to share many sacred moments there with God. I prayed, wrote poetry, and even proposed to my wife there. This peaceful, isolated canyon allowed time to meditate and talk to God while resting in the shade of ancient trees, just as Jesus retreated to the Mount of Olives. Eastern mysticism seeks only to empty the mind through meditation. Christian meditation and reflection seeks to fill and purify the mind with God’s holiness and attributes. Why not find time and solitude to meditate? Then you can prioritize your busy life and put your focus back on the Lord.