Thinking about my favorite place ...

A few days ago, I returned from my latest trip to Montana and a few days in Glacier Park. There have been a lot of changes in my life in the past year and I was looking forward to being grounded at home again...no cell service...no plans to be on my laptop. Just hanging with my friends and family and reflecting on new and missed opportunities. I had a great time in Two Dot at the street dance, at a family picnic in the Crazy Mountains, the 4th of July rodeo in Harlowton and a hike to Daisy Peak with my sister and friends.

As much as I enjoy being at home, my real love in Montana is Glacier National Park. I have missed only one summer visit in the past 12 years. This year the special hike was into Medicine Grizzly Lake at the Cutbank area of the park. 13 miles round trip and it came with a verbal grizzly warning from the ranger at the trailhead. The hike was amazing and the lake was spectacular. We saw a moose but no grizzlies. I think my friends and I were the first people there that day; although we met a few on the trail. The solitude and beauty are inspiring and it makes me believe that God must have had a hand in it.

Unfortunately, Things don't often go as intended. This year's trip went by too fast and some unexpected experiences are causing more questions in my life. I'm back in Seattle at work, feeling distant from my friends and I don't really feel any better than I did before; I still need to do some more self-reflection. I guess this is just a year of turmoil; time to catalogue, learn from it and move on a better person. Hopefully.