I recently had to write a small reflection about my childhood and realized how much I appreciated growing up in such a beautiful city so thought I'd share and spread some positivity. I moved away recently but still think of the city fondly!
Before I was anything else I was Coloradan. My roots are planted in that rocky, dry soil and all else that I have done and accomplished in my life has grown from there. If I close my eyes I still see the clear mountain skies of spring and the way white fluffy cottonwood seeds float down on babbling creeks in the summer. In my dreams I still see the dappled autumn light of golden aspen groves and the luminescent white of freshly fallen snow on a ski day. Of all the things I am grateful for in this life, I am most grateful to have been given a childhood in nature. Before I could even put it into words, I was learning to love and respect the Earth beneath my feet. To trade sleep for a grueling summit push just to catch a sunrise from the top of the world and to know the ponderosa pines and rocky outcrops of neighborhood trails as one knows a friend. Standing in the saddle between two high passes you understand how small a person is and how much we are at the mercy of this land we call home. It makes you want to protect and advocate for our natural spaces so that the next generation can have the same memories in their childhood.