Love. The stuff of dreams. Even before you know it personally, you have an ideal, shaped by poetry and images. Sometimes you think you've found it, because something in your heart of hearts tells you it's true. You just know.

As a young strapping lad, I was full of vigor, raring for adventure. Nature and I hit it off. I was happiest when I was exploring, breathing hard in new surroundings. But I also liked to sit quietly and long enough for a place to come back to it's undisturbed way; when the birds relax and maybe a squirrel will nibble away close by without concern, or a deer will finally look away. Oh that is my ease. Nothing is more refreshing to me.

There came an opportunity, when an old friend invited me to come along on a trip out West. I'd never been more than 300 miles from my midwestern home. We were going to Colorado! 1000 miles, over the Great Plains to see mountains. I had no idea what I was about to experience.

Like everybody else coming into Colorado for the first time, I scanned the horizon for that first glimpse. Time after time some clouds would trigger a false alarm, but finally there they were, the Rocky Mountains. I was astonished how long we continued to drive and yet they continued to grow. Even when we arrived at our destination, some ten miles from the foothills, I had no idea of the scale of things.

At my first chance, I set off. I was walking closer, to get a real glimpse, to scramble up and take a seat. Some time later my friends found me. They had been driving around, trying to catch and tell me how far away they still were. I conceded my folly and climbed into the car when they promised to take me there later.

And so I got to scramble, up a rocky hillside, at the base of the biggest thing I'd ever seen. I was overwhelmed. I could not believe how absolutely huge a mountain was. I made it to an overlook, a sheer cliff that just dropped away. My heart was pounding, from my climb but more from excitement. I was terrified but had to look over the edge. I got on all fours and peeked over. Below me, I could see a large hawk riding on the wind. The updraft caught me off guard and literally took my breath away. I had to withdraw my gaze, pull back from the precipice in disbelief.

That was it, I was in love. I knew it. I was shaking. I had to look away, sit with my arms wrapped around my knees and look back over the plains. This was it. I had to have it in my life. I sat there a long while, contemplating grandeur, thinking the poets had not done it justice. I finally turned back around. I laid down on my stomach and poked my head over the edge again. This time I kept my breath. I let it fill me.