Dear Idaho,

Where do I begin?

Hopefully you know at this point, that not everyone thinks of you as one large potato. And quite frankly the ones that hold this belief, can stay in whatever state they are from.

You are a hidden gem, and I am speaking for all native Idahoans when saying that we’d like it to stay that way.

Don’t get me wrong; your beauty is something that everyone should witness at least once in his or her lifetime.However, if they do so through looking at a picture on a post card, that’s fine too.

What most people don’t know about you; is how incredibly vast you are.

You cover a wide array of landscapes.

From the rolling hills of the Palouse-to the jagged peaks of the Sawtooth Mountain Range.

You have crystal clear mountain lakes and dark turbulent rivers.

Miles on miles of sagebrush deserts.

To acres of wildflower filled meadows.

You are home to ten pristine National Forests.

You are also home to the largest contiguous unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System in the Lower 48; The Frank Church River of No Return.

Arguably, the closest thing that modern day America can get to pure untouched and unforgiving, wilderness.

To say that I wouldn't be the person I am today without you, would be an immense lie.

I can trace back the effects your essence has had on me back to year 3 of me being alive.

I remember sitting in a backpack while my parents hiked through your amazing mountains.

I remember how the smell of the pine trees and sound of the wind rushing through them gently pulled me into sleep.

And how that same smell, to this day, brings me an immense amount of joy.

Thank you for fueling my summers with fun.

For making sure that I had fields to run through, lakes to play in, and mountains to climb;

Instead of concrete jungles filled with material items and lack of serenity.

For the intense summer storms that would send trees falling down around our campground, while we quietly slept in our tent.

For making me understand the power of nature, and how it is something to be respected.

For giving me back roads to drive down

Trout filled rivers to cast my fly on

Freshly powdered slopes to ski down

And unbelievable mountain-bike trails to ride on

For teaching me to face my fears

From scaling down rock faces at 7 years old

To wandering through forests from sunrise to sunset

You taught me to trust myself

You taught me to take chances

You have shown me how to make it on my own, even in situations where I have felt truly lost.

Literally and figuratively.

You have made it so, that when I see snow covered mountains and dense pine forests; I have a sudden urge to run to them.

You have taught me that what we put into things, we get out.

How we treat the earth and our surroundings is what we will receive in return.

And to treat it well.

You have sculpted my being in more ways than I can count.

What you have given me cannot be taught; only experienced

You have kept me grounded.

You have kept me sane.

I will forever be in debt to you Idaho.

You are ingrained into my mind and soul.

No matter where life takes me, it will be you that I return to in the end.

You are home.