Come Together

While it is a way of life for some, most people's daily routines do not include mountain trails on the back of beautiful creature that is often more in tune to its surroundings than we are. Taking a breath of fresh mountain air at the top of rock formation that lets you see for miles is not something that comes in a classroom or office. Seeing the excitement in a child's eyes as she pulls in a trout all by herself is something that can't be generated from beating a video game or receiving and A on a spelling test.

People come to Paradise from all corners of the world to take in these new experiences. It pulls them out of their daily routine and lands them in a new adventure. I think anyone who has had an experience like this, whether it be at Paradise or somewhere else, can agree that it is important for everyone to step out of their comfort zones and try something new. It can be life changing. There is something even more special about families and friends experiencing this together. There is something captivating about watching a family step out of their normal routine together as a unit. Doing something brand new or facing a new challenge head on while surrounded by those important to us, is guaranteed to carve lasting memories in our minds. I love seeing groups of guests continually do this every week at Paradise.

I am blessed to have grown up in a close and loving family. However even that being the case, most evenings in my childhood included dinner table conversation of redundant themes about our daily schedules. Important and valuable, yes, however its not the everyday or weekly family traditions that stick out in bold italics in my memory. It is the times we all did something new or traveled somewhere we had never gone before. Most of the “laughing until our stomachs hurt” memories revolved around these very times. These were also the times that I learned things that I didn't even know about the people with which I spent everyday. Aspects of their personalities that were never evident in the daily grind, were all of a sudden apparent.

 Every couple, family, or group of friends can be brought closer. I always find that new adventures experienced as a group, bring brand new, fresh conversation, laughs and reflection. Gathering around a cozy fire in the cabin after a full day of gorgeous scenery and exciting exploration is when our guests find a new bond with their loved ones and friends, both new and old. I find in my own life, that memories that boldly stand out in my life like printed pictures in a frame, bond me with the ones smiling for the camera right beside me. Most people don't even know it is happening to them, but week after week, guests step into Paradise and step out of the world of selfies and perfecting their personal profile, take off the blinders, and open their eyes and hearts to those that are adventuring along side of them.

 

Thank you numerous people for the photos. Included: Ramona Swift, Dustin Arnold