Rocky Mountain High Colorado

Jackie:

Thanks Kathleen McCormack for letting us stay in your rad old mountain house and for being an excellent driver.

Brenden:

Last year in the middle of the summer Jackie and I drove around the country in our little Saturn. It was filled to the brim with crap we didn't need. Two things included a tent and stove. Our plan was to camp out at a few different destinations like my parents used to do on their ridiculous odyssey road trips. Unfortunately we discovered it was much different then we had anticipated. The camp sites we stayed at were always considerably lonely, beautiful, but lonely. It didn't have anything to do with the environment or layout of the camp. It had to do with people or lack there of. We discovered that often it was very difficult to start relationships with people at a campsites. Typically we were arriving late and leaving early and we didn't spend more than a night at one site. Even if we had, we didn't expect our neighbors to do the same so we always felt like a relationship might be hard to foster.

Before driving out to Montana this time, we tossed the tent. Our goal was to be anything but non social. I am not saying that staying at a campsite does not give you the ability to make relationships. Some people flourish in an environment like that. But we wanted to actually stay with people. Our line of thinking was that when someone invites you into their home there has to be some kind of investment made on both ends. We didn't want to force that but we believed that relationships can be more accessible when both sides are already willing to commit to some level of discomfort. It is amazing to see how generous everyone has been. Truly though it has been a far richer experience this time around.

In the end, I don't necessarily believe it has anything to do with how much time you spend with an individual it has to do with the quality of that time. Since driving out here we have had the privilege of staying with many different types of people, all unique but all equally great people. We have also had the opportunity to meet people who are friends of a friend, which is at times the best thing because eventually they become our friends as well. And finally we have met the randoms on the street corner who have offered to give us a piece of their life if only for a few seconds to have a small conversation. This country we live in is beautiful and God has made an incredible creation, but in the end we see that the beauty is something to be shared. Thank you to all those we have stayed with and the relationships we have made along the way. We are truly thankful for you guys.