Life is always full of twists and turns and unpredictability, don’t you think?
There may be years were things are status quo and it seems as if nothing will ever change in life but, eventually, you see that things do change — some for the better and some for the worse.
This past week, I flew to Colorado to visit my brother Frank and his wife Mary Ellen in the remote town of Lake George. Town is too strong for the description of where they live. I’m not sure if village is even the correct term, either. The population is somewhere around 670. Route 24 is the main artery into Colorado Springs — about 39 miles by car that takes 55 minutes through a winding road down the pass.
I also had a chance to visit with two of their children, Francis Nicholas and Erin and Erin’s daughter, Cora, who all reside in Denver.
My brother and his family lived in Colorado for many years before heading back to Greater Pittston where all three of their children graduated from Wyoming Area. Eventually, each child finished college and migrated back to Denver, leaving Mom and Pop behind.
Ten years ago, Frank and Mary Ellen moved back to Colorado, a place near and dear to their hearts.
I would never classify my brother as an outdoorsy kind of a guy who hunts and fishes, because, well, he doesn’t. He just fell in love with that part of the country when he was last stationed in Colorado Springs before leaving the Army in the late 1970s.
Pikes Peak, at 14,111 feet above sea level, is one of the tallest mountain peaks in North American and, no matter where you are or live or drive to in those parts, Pikes Peak is always in view.
I’ve never made it to the top of the mountain in all the years I’ve traveled to Colorado. You’d think that would be on my bucket list, but my hosts never seem to want to make the trek, so I have yet to do so.
Lake George sits just about eight feet shy of 8,000 feet in elevation. Needless-to-say, living at an elevation of 545 feet in West Pittston, it is quite a drastic change to deal with and trying to catch my breath here and there was not unusual. Climbing to the second floor of the house reaching the 8,000-foot mark was a bit of a challenge.
Even though the scenery is spectacular and the temps at that elevation are a bit more moderate than life in Wyoming Valley, it’s not a place I’d say, “Yep, that’s where I want to live.”
As a matter of fact, moving to any destination other than Greater Pittston gets harder and harder to do as I age. When you’re set in your ways, change becomes more difficult. If I’m moving anywhere, it would be a bit south of northeastern Pennsylvania. The winters are rough on me.
While visiting my brother, I made the 55-minute, 40-mile drive into the Springs (as the locals call Colorado Springs) to visit an old friend and a guy who personifies being a Pittstonian, Mike Caputo.
About two years ago, Mike and his wife Ann did what many of their close friends believed to be the unthinkable — they sold their West Pittston home, loaded up the truck and moved to the Springs. At the age of 70, Mike left all he ever knew to start anew with Ann to be closer to Ann’s daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
I had a great visit with Mike that afternoon as we talked about the old days, people back home, the tennis we played and his new life in another state.
Does Mike miss Greater Pittston? You bet he does. But, as he said, once he and Ann made up their mind to make the move, there was no looking back.
Mike is a happily retired school teacher and Ann has but a few short years left as a nurse until she calls it a career in home health before they can truly become full-time grandparents. For Mike, there’s nothing like it. I’m sad for those he left behind, but thrilled for him and his nuclear family.
On the last day of my journey, I spent time with my high school classmate Al Manzi, who runs several newspapers as a CEO/publisher in the Denver area. Al is a one-of-a-kind guy and deserves all that has come his way.
I’m proud of him for what he’s achieved in his life, the family he made with his wife Ann Marie and their children and grandchildren. Just like Mike, Al won’t be looking to get back to the Valley any time too soon, but it would be nice to see them on occasional visits.
Life does exist outside of Greater Pittston for a lot of folks. A friend once said to me, all roads lead through NEPA and I do believe it.
It was a quick five days and I had to get back home to my family and work. When you’re self-employed, there’s no such thing as a paid vacation so, when I clicked my heels three times, I was back to the 18643 and able to climb steps without gasping for air.
Quote of the week
“Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have or do.” – Brian Tracy
Thought of the week
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain.” – Dolly Parton
Bumper sticker
“Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
