hi from the mountains

and a few thoughts on wonder

This week’s letter is a bit more letter-like and less essay-ish! And it’s not coming from my local coffee shop, it’s coming from the road.

This past week, we’ve been in the mountains. Colorado mountains, specifically. I had the privilege of spending time with some incredible souls in Colorado Springs and then we drove up to Estes for much-needed days “on top of a mountain” as my five-year-old says. It’s been a time of family memories, fresh air, and less cell service.

On our road trip to Colorado, we stopped in to stay with my grandparents.

In the past, I’ve written about my grandparents and how they taught me to find beauty in the world. They helped cultivate a sense of wonder in me, the art of noticing and appreciating the simple, unhurried things.

“It started during those summer stays at their house. But my grandparents still teach me to this day to value priceless and unhurried things, things that our culture often ignores. Goldfinches and Depression glass, bluebirds and gardenias, the habits of wood ducks, good books, and Southern Living magazines.”

On this stay with my grandparents, I watched again as my sons recreated memories from my childhood. I saw it when my five-year-old lugged the photo album to my grandpa and said, “Can you tell me about this?” They sat together and turned pages and Sean asked, “Then what happened? And then what happened?” I saw it while they fished for bream and watched hummingbirds and played pretend in the same clubhouse my brothers and I made. It made me smile and reminded me of an article I originally wrote in 2021 that Calla Press published last year.

The dear Sally Clarkson writes in her book Awaking Wonder,

“A child fashioned by a wonder-filled life will cultivate inner strength, a confidence in his own ability to think, evaluate, and know. But those who influence children must fight to protect time for the imagination to have space to work, to have time to engage.”

As the boys traipsed down the narrow trail along the tundra yesterday, binoculars in hand, tiny and dauntless against the wilderness, Daniel and I grinned. Because we’ve been given the opportunity to watch and help cultivate their unbounded wonder at the world.

And in the process, it rekindles ours.

If there are children in your life in any capacity— please don’t forget that you have an opportunity. Like my grandparents, you can influence them in ways bigger than you might realize.

You can read my piece titled “How My Grandparents Taught Me To Find Beauty” published by Calla Press Publishing below:

Love ya.

Mean it.