Denver, CO
My absolute favorite sport in the world is gearing up to kick-off…college football! Only one more day until the season opens and only three more days until the Auburn Tigers take the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I’m headed home this weekend to partake in the festivities. After two years of being overseas for college football, I’m in need of some Tiger action.
War Damn Eagle!!!!!
Keystone, CO
Another weekend in the beautiful mountains of Colorado spent enjoying wine and good company!
This past weekend I ventured to Keystone with some friends to enjoy the soon to be fall mountain air and beautiful sunshine along with some wine and jazz. The Keystone Wine, Jazz, and Art Festival was great - well laid out and plenty of labels to try. We enjoyed some great wines on Saturday and continued the fun into the evening.
We ended up going to a bbq of some old friends I used to work with at Qwest (great to see them after years and they have adorable kids). We had fun playing and hanging out mountain style. Then it was back into the village for a late night of fun.
More festival fun on Sunday enjoying additional wines and hanging out with some of the distributors (aka “staff”). It was all good fun and only too bad that we had to head back Sunday afternoon for Monday work.
These fests in the mountains are keeping me busy! [PS…the gun show was in town]
Denver, CO
Upon returning to Denver I was quickly reunited with two of my good friends that I used to work with at CTIX (Lynette and Kevin). It was a great night and reminded me of the good times I had in Denver as well as the good times to come. Lynette just sent these pictures and they made me smile so I thought I’d share :).
Here’s to good friends and good times!
Denver, CO
I was touched this week by a news story I read on CNN about a would have been 19 year old boy that touched the lives of people around the world through his courageous fight with cancer. The news is filled with tragic stories around the globe but this one stuck out and touched me.
Miles was diagnosed in June 2005 with rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare pediatric muscle cancer that affects 350 children a year). Since that day, Miles began a fight against the cancer and a fight to share with honesty and courage the story he was living. My admiration goes to both he and his family as they share their fight, hopes, dreams, tears, and emotions with the world through Mile’s blog on CarePages (you have to register and then go to “LevinStory”). Miles maintained the blog throughout his fight and his Mom and family are now continuing to post to continue his legacy.
Miles passed into the unknown world beyond Earth on Sunday after one of the most honest and courageous fights that I have witnessed. Death is never easy but for an 18 year old to face it head on and share it with the world is an amazing thing. His mother had an incredibly special and unique bond with him and shared that Miles was a unique person with an amazing gift. And he truly was. Life is full of death and yet here was a young person fighting to live every moment, breathe every breath, and share with the world what it was like. He lived his moto to the last moment:
“Keep Fighting. Stop Struggling.”
Through a simple blog, Miles touched the world. He had kindness and fought to focus on the here and now and the blessings of life rather than all the things he won’t ever be able to do. As his peers prepared to leave for college and begin a new chapter in their lives, Miles prepared to go to the unknown and end his days on Earth. But he did it with beauty and blessing. And he has touched me and many others around the world. He praised his family (including his mother, father, sister/best friend, and his girlfriend) and they are amazing for sharing their son and brother with the world and continuing the legacy of Miles Levin. Their pain is incomprehensible and that which too many people in the world are faced with. But they are using that pain to help.
In the last interview with Miles, his Mom asked him what he wanted to be remembered for:
“Someone who maintained their light through their darkest journey.”
That he did in so many ways. And as he even said to his Dad, “mission accomplished.” He also valued kindness as the quality most important in humans. Kindness is what Miles exemplified every day and in every breath. There’s a lot to be learned from this man with wisdom beyond his short lived years.
Sometimes people and stories strike you in life. This one has struck me. I am touched. And I hope I can live my life with more kindness in honor of the legacy of Miles Levin and all other children who have fought the devastating fight of pediatric cancer.
Steamboat Springs, CO
I spent another fantastic weekend in the Colorado mountains at the ‘boat! And along with the fun came some firsts:
Another fantastic weekend playing in the mountains!
