I remember the week that my family went up the mountain in Estes Park, Colorado. My parents lugged my two older sisters and me across the expansive flatland that is Nebraska and up to the mountains of Colorado. I remember one day in particular that still brings a smile to my face today… We were going to spend the day at some lookout point in Estes Park. As we climbed up the mountainside, the excitement only grew, like electricity pulsing through my veins.
Thinking back, I was probably jumping around like a maniac with excitement, but I only remember the vast expanse of mountain laid out below us. After a tumultuous hike (for a seven year old), we reached the lookout point where I was able to see what appeared to be half of Colorado. There were rocks and trees everywhere, not to mention the dozens of ground squirrels that were bouncing around nearby. I remember how adorable they were; looking so soft and cuddly. The joy and excitement of being within reach of such a cute little animal was like paradise. I remember begging for my parents to buy a handful after handful of treats to feed them.
The ground squirrels were so close by, yet they were still hesitant to come too close. It probably didn’t help that my father, who is a hefty man, was towering nearby. I squealed with the thrill and had to sit down on the ground so that one squirrel might be brave enough to eat the treats in my hand. Slowly, one began to come closer to me. Finally, it began to eat from my hand. I remember sitting there for what only seemed like a moment, but my parents assured me it had been much longer. I could have spent the entire week hanging out with those ground squirrels.
