Taking It Slower Above the City

The other day, I took a quiet walk around Red Rocks Community College and then headed up Green Mountain. Nothing rushed. No destination beyond the trail itself. As I climbed, Denver stretched out below me, the city giving way to layers of land, sky, and possibility. Standing there, looking out beyond the skyline, I felt something steady and electric at the same time.

There’s a unique energy in this place. It doesn’t demand anything from you. It simply reminds you that you’re part of something larger—something that was here long before us and will remain long after. The wind, the open space, the silence between footsteps—it all has a way of resetting the noise we carry every day.

As we step into a new year, I find myself wishing something simple for all of us: slow down, just a little. Take in the moment you’re in. Appreciate the people walking beside you, even if only for a season. Let yourself notice the beauty that exists without needing to be optimized, posted, or explained.

Colorado has a way of grounding us when we let it. Sometimes all it takes is a walk, a climb, and a view that reminds you to breathe—and to be present while you’re here.