altruism in the morning

an incredible storm rolled into the valley on saturday, and the mountain man + i watched it as it rolled over the mountains, across the lake, and made it’s way to our house. lightening shattered the sky for an hour, and as the sun set, the clouds shifted from grey, to blue, to purple, to pink…which was right around when i took this photo on my phone. if there is one thing i love more than anything else about our house, it is the view of the valley we have – all the way out to the great salt lake. i could stare out into the expanse endlessly…

what are you grateful for about your home?

if there is one question i ask more than any other in life, it’s “why can’t people just be nice?” i’m often perplexed at how people treat others around them, regardless if they are friends, family, colleagues, or strangers. everyone out there is fighting a hard battle, everyone has baggage, and everyone just wants to be happy. i’m no saint, and i certainly don’t like everybody, but i make a conscious effort to treat people well – even those people i wish would disappear.

this week i’m grateful for people who treat others with respect. for people who understand that we’re all different, that we all have problems from time to time, and that we all deserve happiness. i’m grateful for people who understand that kind words and smiles go a long way, and that don’t get discouraged by all the dicks out there.

(image via luke beard)

the mountain man + i ventured back down to zion for a night this weekend, and i couldn’t be happier that we did. while we went with the purpose of meeting with our wedding planner, we gained a much needed reprieve from the insanity of life.

zion is a place where time stands still. where what is happening elsewhere in the world is irrelevant, as in that moment, you are nothing but a little speck in giant canyons older than the dinosaurs. it’s a feeling i cherish whenever we are there.

this week i’m grateful for perspective. never take life too seriously, even when it feels really hard. in the grand scheme of things, whatever is bothering you today, won’t have much impact beyond tomorrow, or a few months from now, or thousands of years later. life isn’t easy for anyone, but when it’s feeling particularly rough, take a little solace in the wilderness. it works wonders…

(image source – unknown)

this weekend we took our hounds for their first camping trip so we could scout wedding locations in zion. we got them their own tent so they wouldn’t ruin our camping gear, and i couldn’t help but laugh at how concerned they were that they didn’t get to sleep with us.

i love what these two bring to our lives. the headaches, the laughs, the reluctant 3 am move into their tent. while pets are a huge commitment, and a whole lot of work, the amount they make me laugh every day far outweighs any of the bad. i couldn’t be any more grateful to have them in my lives.

what are you grateful for this week?