One Year

A year ago today was the first "official" day of work at Storm Mountain.

I'm not frequently a nostalgic person, but thoughts of last summer will probably always come with a misty-eyed smile. That was the best three months of my life thus far, and today has served as a day of flashbacks.

The whole group was together for the first time (except for Emilie, who was cavorting in ... California? right then) that morning for breakfast. The guys joined us after camping out in Red Cross for the night, followed by our "bonding experiences." The challenge course, some training stuff, and the Fanta dance, a thirty-second incident that will always be imprinted in my brain as my first really clear memory of Eric and Aaron.

Honestly, I don't know why it's stuck so firmly in my brain. It wasn't a damaging incident. Actually, it was rather funny. I suppose it was an indicator of the rest of the summer ...

A year later, things seem almost out of place. After ten weeks of work, play, and everything in between (including pranks, Reptile Gardens, late nights on the lookout, the Ninja, the Playhouse, and one memorable "bus stop whoops"), we bonded like no other group I've ever been a part of. Now, we're scattered ... Emilie and Holly are back at Storm for another run at it, Dyan's disappeared to Michigan, Eric's hiding out in NoDak, Aaron's returned to the Hills but at the Playhouse instead, Missy's staying closer to home in Texas, Kellie's tourist-trapping it in Wall, Christina's waiting for directions in Aberdeen, I'm playing with bacteria here in RC ... I'm not sure what April and Sarah are up to these days, but I hope things are going well.

I've been back quite a few times, and it still feels like home. Things aren't the same, by any accounts -- the ski trip in December was as close to the same as it will ever get -- but it still feels like home. You're till welcomed with open arms, you can still see the stars with more clarity than almost anywhere else within 100 miles, you're still fed -- and expected to help with dishes. Storm still clears my head better than anywhere else, grants me answers I can't find in the normal rush.

Life on the mountain continues, but the memories will always be waiting for me when I get there. And, as long as I'm out here, I'll gladly take them in when I start feeling lonely or confused.

If any of you are out there reading this -- Christina, Emilie, Holly, Dyan, Kellie, Missy, April, Sarah, Eric, or Aaron -- know that you've changed my life, and only in good ways. Thanks for the memories, the laughter, everything.


I can't stop the rain from falling down on you again
I can't stop the rain, but I will hold you till it goes away.

Third Day, "When The Rain Comes"