Last weekend was extraordinarily busy for me from start to finish, and I was tempted to forego an outing. However, it is often the case that those times in which I am the busiest are the times when it is most important to spend some time relaxing in a quiet atmosphere. So, I decided that I would simply take a short day trip out to Hanging Rock—it’s a short drive away and it doesn’t involve lengthy hikes or overnight camping, and yet it is a beautiful location with spiritual and historical significance. A Journal Gazette article from August 4, 1998 quotes Arthur Sonier, the executive director of The Five State Alliance of First Americans, regarding the significance of Hanging Rock—“Hanging Rock is a spiritual place to American Indians…. ‘It’s a church to us.’”
Hanging Rock is right here in Wabash County south of 24, just off of 524. There is a small parking area at the foot of the rock, a short path that goes down to the Wabash River, and a slightly longer path that winds up to the top.
A warning… although there is practically no hiking involved, the path up to the top of the rock is steep and does require some degree of dexterity and a great deal of sobriety. However, the view is worth the climb; at the top of the overlook, one is gifted with a panoramic view of Indiana farmland surrounding the visibly glistening Wabash and Salamonie Rivers.
There are a variety of trees still green and flowers in bloom. However, some of the trees are starting to blush, giving the whole vista a vibrant glow. I could hear the river flowing below me, and reveled in the noisy silence of the outdoors. Although there were a few people there when I arrived, they soon left, and I was alone for the rest of my visit, relaxing against a tree and breathing in the fresh air.
The legend of Hanging Rock is an archetypical romance involving a young Native American girl named Wynusa and the two men who were fighting for her love. The two men were dueling at the top of Hanging Rock when the man that Wynusa loved the most lost and fell over the side of the cliff. Wynusa, heartbroken, supposedly screamed something to the effect of “How could I love a man who killed my one true beloved? I cannot live in such a way without him!” before jumping over the cliff herself.
The Ballad of Hanging Rock tells the story of Wynusa and her two lovers; the final stanzas allege that –
They say when skies are dreary,
And Wabash rivers sigh
When the lovers’ moon smiles wanly
They hear her mournful cry….
If on some lonesome evening,
You venture there alone,
You may see the Indian maiden,
Leap from the Hanging stone."
Now, I went there alone, it is true; however, it was midday and sunny, which hardly qualifies as a dreary, lonesome evening. So, I cannot attest to the truth or untruth of this legend. However, with Halloween creeping forward, I may have to venture there again at dusk. And if any of you spend a lonesome evening at the rock and happen to see Wynusa, please do let me know.
In the end, my trip to Hanging Rock left me relaxed and invigorated. I am reminded of a quote from “Affirming Faith in Mind,” a sixth century Chinese text that reminds us that “Your frantic haste just slows you down.” When life has gotten too stressful to handle and you just can’t seem to find time to do everything you need to do, my recommendation is to step outside, go to a secluded spot, breathe, and relax for a while. The world’s right outside your door… Let’s go!
(published in Manchester College's weekly newspaper, the Oak Leaves, on September 21, 2007)
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