Belonging

Sunday we joined the rest of the Scout troop for their annual hike. It's probably the last hike we'll get in this year; the weather is turning cooler and more rain is expected - the mountains are already topped with snow (the tallest peak in our immediate range had snow all year long).

Gus really enjoys the Scout hike - like all boys his age, he digs hanging out with his peers and being, well, boys. He managed to lobby his way into riding up with the Papadopouloses (to whom, in true Greekness, we're "related" by marriage).

For me, days like this offer Gus an amazing gift: a sense of community, a sense of belonging. Some of the boys he knows only from Scouts. Some are from his Sunday School class or serve as altar boys with him. But it's the shared experience, the shared memories that are important.

Hopefully, the fun and excitement will help him remember what I took away from the hike: the amazing beauty, the moose we saw, the chill autumn air I love so much.


Happy hikers


Hey, Moose!


On the way down the canyon