Weight of the World

Every time Lonnie and I get frustrated with living here...with all these people (not YOU, of course)...with all this traffic...or with work, or anything or anyone else...one of us will say to the other, "House in the mountains. House in the mountains." It's become a mantra of ours ever since we visited a cabin in the mountains not far outside Steamboat Springs, CO. Some friends of my parents own the cabin, and it's so quaint and majestic, that ever since, "house in the mountains" has had a calming, and a bit of a whimsical effect on us. Don't get me wrong about this cabin: it's not glamorous by any stretch. It's a cabin. It does have a tiny kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc. But it is not glamorous. It's maybe one step up from camping.

I think it has two bedrooms with a river running below it. And when I say below it, I mean, literally, the river is in it's backyard, that's how close it is to the river. Luckily, we visited in the spring/summertime, and so it was awesome to hear the water rushing over the boulders and washing by. That sound is so soothing, much like waves at the beach are.

What I also love about it is one of the stories behind it. Over time, the man who built it picked up these different river rocks (I can't remember exactly how the story goes) to build the fireplace and chimney by hand. You see the river rocks on the outside and inside of the house. And it is definitely the best feature about the house itself. It's a two-story cabin, and when you reach the second floor, you automatically feel taller because the ceilings are so low, so you also feel cozy and warm and welcome. If I lived there long-term, though, I'd do something about the ceiling because it can probably start to feel as if it's closing in on you after a while.

It's a good-sized cabin, too, but I now know why people choose to live in "tiny houses". It's the outdoors, being one with nature, that is so peaceful and relaxing. The cabin is merely there for shelter. There were a couple of other cabins there, too, and I'm sure the reason people go there is to escape the pressures and daily monotony, to relax, renew, and refresh. At least that's why I would go there.

I envision leaving the windows open in the summertime, falling asleep to the sound of the river and trees' leaves rustling on their branches or swishing with a slight breeze.

On days like today, when it seems like all these pressures are so important, the thought of that cabin in Colorado is a great mental escape if I can't be there in person.

House in the mountains.