10,152′ high should be about right for a big time birthday celebration. The twins turned 75 earlier this year, and when deciding where we three families would gather to mark the milestone and celebrate together, it was a no-brainer. COLORADO.
As I’ve said before, being a native Coloradoan is a big deal to me.
For my sister, it’s still home even though her residence is in another state. She longs to be in Colorado.
For my brother, it’s a place that gave him a lifetime of the love of outdoors, and the activities associated with Colorado mountains in particular.
So we shall gather for a few days this coming week in cabins alongside the Eagle River just outside Leadville, Colorado.
We three spent much of every summer of our growing-up years either alongside, or near-by a river. And a fair amount of that time was wading up and down the river. On the hunt for the wily adversary.
Generally speaking, being orphaned usually is thought of as happening to young children. We were orphaned later than usual, the twins at the age of 19, and I having just turned 21, and now considered an adult. It was tumultuous for a short time, then less so as we retreated into our respective college campuses. And then put it behind as we each created separate families and lived our lives.
That experience cemented a sibling relationship in ways that have carried us these many decades; apart by distance, but nearby through this particular shared experience, and through the shared experiences of the Colorado mountains….and because of our commitment to always be in relationship with each other.
Every time I have journeyed to Colorado it has been with anticipation of return, of first view of the Rockies, and eventually being wrapped “in” the Rockies of home. I’m in anticipation mode now.
Dr. Seuss says, “Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”
And so I shall. Traveling Mercies.
Cometsgirl 