America the Beautiful

Mike had a conference to attend this week at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and I was able to tag along. The Broadmoor is a historic hotel campus built during World War I and has consistently maintained its 5-star rating longer than any hotel in the U.S. It is well-earned and our experience was wonderful.

I flew to Denver on Tuesday and spent that night and much of the next day with a very long time friend Kim. She came back to see me Thursday and we went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo going all the way up to the Will Rogers Shrine at 8, 136 ft above sea level. There we met Emery who gave us much of the history of the Penrose family who built the hotel and shrine.

Everywhere we went, people took pride in what they did. Even the bathroom attendant at last night's dinner told me she had worked there for 24 years. The hotel has a new owner and she told us how happy staff were that he appreciated the history and culture of the hotel and was the kind of guy who would take donuts to the bellman and valets at 3am.

I was able to get in on a few of the speakers and meet some really interesting people. Dinner next to an economic policy advisor to Mitt Romney who told me some encouraging stories and then told me about his wife, a practicing attorney who gave it up after 25 years to stay home with four adopted children (from Russia). I discussed homeschooling and classical education with a Yale-grad who wants something better for his own (as yet hypothetical) children. And had lunch with a resident of Tel Aviv.

I listened to a plenary address by Robert P. George, a philosophical giant whom I admire. Also, Hannah Giles, the 20-yr old (at the time) who took on ACORN and won.

I really love this world and I found myself really grateful that I can be a tiny, tiny part of it and yet still be home doing the work I consider to be most important right now, the caring for and education of my children.

Robert P. George was asked if he was optimistic about the future of our country. He took the position that there is a difference between optimism and hope. I think as a Christian I believe in a greater kingdom (and I think this is generally what George was saying too) and that while I may not always be optimistic I am hopeful for this time and place because I believe in a greater and deeper reality.

I came optimistic about the things I would accomplish without my normal daily responsibilities. It was somewhat misplaced optimism. I did not finish half of what I brought to work on. But my hope was well-placed. I grew, learned, relaxed and enjoyed my time. And I did get a little work done.

Now I'm going home to hug my kids and kiss my mom, who held down the fort so I could fly away for a few days.