up down under

visited the lake caves at margaret river today, it was a more than 200 step descend into the cave. i can only imagine when the first explorers entered the cave, what it must have been like. they had to abseil down a really tall tree into total darkness. there were artificial lights that make the cave both bearable and beautiful, but for a brief moment the tour guide turned off all the lights and it was pitch black save for a very very faint hint of light towards the entrance of the cave. there were some muslim men on the tour with us, and one of them remarked, "i wonder if this is what it is like when a man dies and is buried". the tour guide said how peaceful that would be, to which the muslim man said, "no...not peaceful at all". how terrible to have to live in apprehension of death's approach.
"where o death is thy victory?
where o death is thy sting?" - 1 corinthians 15:55
as an aside, the caves reminded me of moria...return of the king is now showing and i still have a week to wait!