I’m grateful for friends I’ve made, far n near. I’ve tried to maintain friendships with people, despite years gone by. It’s harder now. We make excuses, like we’re too busy.

When I moved to Seattle, I was fortunate to vacuum the floors at a church once a week. There’s nothing like kicking up dust ‘n germs. It was a good way to meet people and help out at the same time. A guy I call “Offers”, whom was also a volunteer on the church clean team, invited me over for a cold one. An opportunity to talk about something other than vacuums seemed appealing. We developed a great friendship on and off the carpet. One of those friendships that you just don’t see coming. From mountain biking, to 112-mile road bike days, from camping in Oregon, to calming down gun toting cowboys approaching us because we were on their land. Offers and I have shared some great experiences. Four years ago, he moved back to Wyoming to start a family and return to farming.

During my road trip to Michigan this summer, I left great friends in Idaho and pointed it toward Wyoming to go see Offers and his family on the farm. Farm life is full on. They’re the hardest working and also some of the most genuine people I know on the planet. Seriously. Tell me of a farmer you’ve met that wouldn’t give you the shirt off their back, feed you a big meal and give you a place to stay.

Out in the fields in an old trusty Ford pickup one day, I commented to Offers about how amazing the sky looks nearly all the time. “Yeah”, he says, “there’s a saying around here that if you don’t like the look of the sky, wait 5 minutes” It’s true. Heart mountain looms in the distance and the near 180 degree views of the horizon in any direction are on full display. Watching approaching thunderstorms packed with lightning and hail from miles away, to colors you haven’t seen in sunsets, to stacked cloud formations containing every shade of bright white to dark gray, and millions of brilliant stars at nighttime. It seems like you can see forever.

My friend, Dave, from Michigan flew out to WY for the last segment of the trip. It was the first time he had met Offers, but likely not the last. We spent our days laughing a lot, eating every once in a while, farming (which includes working on farm equipment), visiting Yellowstone National Park, shooting guns, getting lost in the desert, playing nerf hoops in the garage, and trying on overalls, cowboy hats ‘n belt buckles.

You can’t put a value on these relationships and experiences. This was a perfect example.

Friends don’t enter our thoughts by coincidence. When we think of someone, in my opinion, it’s for a reason. If they’re going through something in their life, say a prayer for them, but don’t disregard those thoughts. If you haven’t spoken with them in a while, pick up the phone and call. You’re not too busy. And more times than not, it’ll encourage them just hearing your voice. I’m calling Offers.

for size reference, there are people standing at the top of the falls on the right side.