I wrote this for another purpose, but I thought you guys might enjoy reading a brief reflection that has absolutely nothing to do with the essential role of religion for republican government...
- I love the mountains. Our houses (you know, one for the guys, one for the girls) are literally built with their backs to the base of Pike’s Peak, and the balcony off of my second-floor bedroom looks out on two beautiful hills with a long road stretching across their valley. Since I grew up on the shores of a Great Lake, I’m a water person by nature, but I developed an affection for mountains when I went to camp in the Shenandoah valley the summer after my junior year of high school. (In the interest of full disclosure: when I say, “I went to camp,” under no circumstances should I be construed as implying that I went camping. I make no such crazy claim.) My affection grew to deep love when I lived in the foothills of the Austrian Alps for four months, and mountains have become important for me. I’ve always wanted to see the Rockies, and it’s a dream come true to live in them for a semester.
- The violent aridity, I don’t love quite so much. Dude. I have been to dry places before—like, you know, Bosnia, and the desert of New Mexico—but never before have I lived in a place where I walked out the door and the air ASSAULTED ME IN THE NOSE. There are upsides to this situation—my hair frizzes less (although it’s a lot more staticky (statickey? static-y? help me out here), so I suppose that doesn’t really count as a pro) and the cold doesn’t feel quite as cold—but in general I am opposed to any climate in which I can drink a gallon of water in a day (not even kidding!), keep a PITCHER of water by my bed, and still wake up in the morning feeling like I’m about to die of thirst. You’d think that if they could invent machines that MAKE SNOW, these hippie cowboys would be able to find a way to hydrate the air a little bit. I’m just sayin.
- I really, really love the people. Holy highly unlikely situation, Batman, but somehow I’ve managed to land myself in the effectively perpetual presence of thirteen phenomenal human beings. (Fourteen, really, because the community really includes one of the fellows’ wives.) (Erm. I meant wife, because clearly he only has one. Oops.) Sure, we’re all a tiny bit crazy—we have to be, to make it through this program—and sure, there are tensions and rough edges in community life (did you note the “effectively perpetual” part? Like, 24 hours a day?). But the intelligence and compassion and authentic faith that all of these people share, and the differences that make each one unique, have been a source of incredible blessing to me and have enriched my life in a thousand different ways. Also, they make me laugh. A lot. So thanks, guys. I love you.
