Sometimes...I Miss Idaho

The other day I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and this picture popped up.

Stunning.

Even if you don't understand the significance of the building, the singular structure, the purple hues of the foothills, and the towering expanse of the Grand Teton peak make an incredible composition...it's simply a wonderful picture of what man has made and what God has made.

It also reminded me of my childhood, which is weird, because when I was a child, that building was decades away.

I grew up in Utah, near Salt Lake City. If you're familiar with the area, you know that the state's largest populated area rests in a valley surrounded by mountains--that, and a dead lake. If you're ever lost, just look up. Depending on which mountain range is closer, you know where you're at. If you see (or smell...) a lake, you know you're close to the Great Salt Lake.

But, if you drive north a couple of hundred miles, the mountain ranges separate and I no longer find myself sure of north, south, east, and/or west. That is, until I spot the Teton range to the east.

My mom grew up in Driggs Idaho, under the shadow of the Tetons--the Idaho side (which, in my humble opinion, is the best side...). We visited there many times as a child. As I grew, we visited family in Idaho Falls and Hamer (if you know where Hamer is, you get a gold star...). To get almost anywhere in Southeastern Idaho, you've got to drive. And when you drive, you're able to see the Tetons.

When I see those mountains, I know where I am, mostly because I know where they are.

This picture reminded me of being unsure of my location as I grew up when we visited Idaho so many times. It also reminded me of good times with wonderful people, many of which are no longer with us. Man, sometimes I miss Idaho...and everything that comes with it.