It has been a little over a month since I began my
exploration of a city I did not know. But, I have discovered that this city
would teach me more about myself than I anticipated. Growing up in a suburb of
Des Moines, Iowa, I knew what city life was like, but to the extent of Denver,
Colorado, I did not. I have a poster hung up in my room that says, “If you
never leave, you’ll never find the road home”.
Because of numerous softball tournaments I participated in, I
have traveled across the country with my family, going coast to coast just to
play the best competition we could find. The biggest difference between
traveling then and traveling now is, I am on my own. I am away from my family,
my friends, my pets… everyone. The one thing I hold onto is the urge to travel.
Though it is hard being away from them, I am seeing the
world through my own eyes. I am able to go up into the mountains, and breathe
in the freshest air that God has given. I am able to see people that are
completely different than they are from Iowa.
I have gained perspective. Whether it comes from different
religious views, or simply the small acts that people do to make them happy, here
in Denver, that scale is huge.
I recently went to a tattoo shop. I knew I wanted to get
something that reminded me of Denver and the numerous adventures I have taken.
The only thing that came to mind was traveling. In the smallest form, I now
have on my arm “wanderlust,” which means a strong desire to travel.
While adventuring in Colorado, I had the opportunity to see
one of my favorite bands, NEEDTOBREATHE at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. They
have a song called “Keep Your Eyes Open,” and there is a line that says, “if you
never leave home, never let go, you’ll never make it to the great unknown”.
Being completely wanderlust in a city that is full of
opportunities, I have fully kept my eyes open. I have left home to a place I
never knew I would fall in love with. I have traveled the unknown and, more
importantly, I have discovered how to be a stronger person than I was before.
Denver has challenged me and has given me a newer perspective on the world. It
is an experience I would never take back.
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