My summer so far has been congested with work. Work, work work. It often seems that all I do is work these days. I haven't had much time for adventures.
But I'm not complaining! My work up on Clear Creek in Idaho Springs consists of either me sitting next to a river all day, waiting to shoot photos for the boats that come by, or hanging out in a raft company where I help tourists pick out their photos, and their memories.
I've been going strong for more than a month now, since I stepped out of the Grand Canyon. I had a day off last week, so my friend and I explored the Silver Dollar Lake Trail on Guanella Pass, outside of Georgetown. It was sweet! We passed a subalpine lake and two alpine, saw marmots, pikas, and fields of July wildflowers. I was so glad to finally explore some place new.
I turned nineteen last Sunday, the beginning of my last year as a teen and my second year as an adult. I was on I-70, driving to work and listening to Lorde's new album, like I do everyday. And it got me thinking.
I was reflecting on how great eighteen was— my first year in college, two Grand Canyon trips, and another season working on Clear Creek. In the last year, I've experienced so many incredible places in the western United States, I've figured out my major, and kinda-sorta my career path. I've gone on countless hikes, countless overnight trips, and I've gotten countless mosquito bites, blisters and bruises. As Chango would say, it's been awesome.
I realized all I wanted was for nineteen to be even better. I want to continue on my path of self-discovery. There's no point in living if you're not doing things for yourself and for your peace of mind. For my nineteenth year on this Earth, I'm going to start appreciating the little things more. I'm not going to worry about the things and the people that I can't control. I can only change me.
And here I am, alone, at work, listening to the river, waiting for rafters, thinking. It's raining sideways, there's lightning all around me, the thunder is roaring. It's beautiful. I'm nineteen and I'm on fire.