Last fall as I was getting ready to leave Jackson Hole for an extended period of time (first time in 10 years), I frantically ran around town, then on to Grand Teton National Park, trying to capture the reasons I fell so deeply in love with those mountains so many years ago. Thanks to the new digital cameras, even an amateur like me was able to capture a few decent shots that have managed to keep my heart warm while I am away (hard to take a bad picture of the Tetons).
Well … it is months later and my original plan to help the family out a bit and explore the eastern mountain areas turned into two mind blowing family emergencies in two different states extending right into the present day. The fact that I have been able to be with them has been a blessing for my family … and for me. I am proud to say that my life in a small mountain town for the past decade has helped me to grow into the person I have always wanted to be. If I ever questioned why I moved to the mountains or the strength that I have gained from living amongst them … I most certainly never will again.
Here are two great articles; one writes about Taos, New Mexico and the other, Buena Vista, Colorado … and both share more thoughts on life and love of the mountains. (links to the articles and a couple of excerpts from each below)
Brown Rice, Tofu and Deep Powder
I harvested wisdom. I found love and learned how to make it grow. I gained so much confidence on that mountain that I was able use it every place I skied after that, even the backcountry. I learned about myself and had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do with my life when I left. What more can you ask from a stop along the sojourn of life?
I remember the feeling, the reason I keep climbing peaks and sliding down them and it all seems very simple and pure: This is who I am, this is how I live, this is what makes me whole.
And loved this one … Why a small town
So why didn’t I stay and live my life in a place where anything and everything I could possibly want to have or do or buy was available at a moments notice? And more to the point, why didn’t I feel connected to the places that housed and shaped twenty-plus years of my life?
Connection or bonding, is a funny thing. There are a few groups of people and by extension, places, that I feel particularly connected to. In each case, the strength of the feeling is related to serving the community.
Everyone who lives and works in this community lives and works to serve one another. This gets reinforced every day as we see each other in different contexts. You might see your town councilman at the town meeting, out having dinner with his family, and maybe hard at work on the job site where your new neighbors are building a house. You run into your pharmacist not only in the drug store, but kayaking in the river, and later, at the community dance. If you’ve spent time in a small community like BV, you’ve had experiences like these. And I love it!
Wanting to share with readers more photos from the different mountain areas (and feeling a little homesick) … I recently started this group (Why I Love the Mountains). Far from a social networking guru … but wanted a place for people to post their beautiful mountain photos so that we can add it here to the website. Please go ahead and join … and share your love of the mountains!