I Guess He’d Rather Be
My introduction to that lyric was not from the more common and popular version done by John Denver but from Merle Haggard in the late 70’s mini-series adaptation of James Michener’s novel Centennial.
The story is the history of the oft-scorned South Platte River. The lives of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Trappers and Traders, Mountain Men, Settlers moving West to seek their fortunes, the Gold Rush, Ranchers, Farmers and then the Industrialists of the 20th Century. Despite the star power of the mini-series, there was only one continuous “star,” the land. Those who respected the land survived, those who didn’t perished.
Colorado will always hold a special place in my heart as my formative years were spent in a small town outside of Colorado Springs named Widefield. Before it was vogue to have diversity, we were a melting pot of all races, creeds and religions. A military town with Army and Air Force bases dotting the landscape.
As a person who has developed a love for photography, Colorado holds much more beauty than one such as I could try to capture. Every day is different and the landscape is ever changing. No two days are the same on the magnificence that is called the Rocky Mountains.
Whether it be standing at 14,000 feet on Mount Evans or 5,000 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, the expanse of the prairie graduates to the great heights of the mountains. I find God when I look out across what has been created.
Through all of that – the “star” of the show is always the land. One must respect the land, the water and the delicate balance of man and nature.
As is said throughout the program – we must all realize that only the rocks live forever – the land was there before I set foot on it every year and will be there long after I am gone.
I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado is all summed up in the final lyric, He Lives in New York City, or, in this case, He Lives in Indiana.
Summit Lake below Mount Evans, Colorado
ala
poolebarry 
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