How Cougar Ridge Lodge Made Me A Better Person

Apr 4, 2019 | Cougar Ridge Lodge, Our Blog, Surrounding Area | 0 comments

How Cougar Ridge Lodge Made Me A Better Person

Now, I’m not one who believes in dramatic personal changes overnight, and I do believe the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior; however, I can’t ignore the effect that one weekend at Cougar Ridge Lodge had on my life. And by saying Cougar Ridge Lodge, I mean the people, the setting, the amenities—the whole experience. Just as the environment where a house sits makes a world of difference to quality of life, the environment within and without The Grand Lodge created a synergy that was life-changing for me personally. And so, I must claim that Cougar Ridge Lodge, in fact, made me a better person.

Impatient And Ungrateful

Before my trip to Cougar Ridge and Capitol Reef National Park, life for me was okay, but mundane. I worked out, and I spent time with family. But, my days lacked a sense of fulfillment and purpose. I was short on gratitude and long on impatience. Little things annoyed me: my kid’s asking me to play catch when I was busy on the computer; my wife’s squeezing the toothpaste tube at the top instead of the bottom; the pastor’s wanting to visit me; my cousin’s needing help with his move to a new house; my team’s losing games, all far more exasperating than they should have been.

Trip To Capital Reef At The Cougar Ridge Lodge

A coworker told me I needed a vacation. He said I should go see Utah. My wife was up for it, so I searched for vacations in Utah and found Capitol Reef National Park. The photos online were striking and unusual, and I found the Cougar Ridge Lodge near the entrance to the Park. The phone call was a pleasant surprise—helpful, friendly, full of pertinent information. “All those activities?” I asked. Yep. The prices were reasonable, so I booked a Master Suite, and off we went.

The drive from the airport to Torrey, Utah, where Cougar Ridge Lodge is, was only a couple of hours. The views surrounding the resort were spectacular, like nothing I had ever seen. The lodge staff greeted us warmly and showed us to our suite. Wow, this is nice! We asked about horseback riding, and it was scheduled. Seeing first the fear, then the delight on my wife’s face on horseback was unforgettable. The guided ride brought us to stunning rock features and colorful desert landscape. Later, lunch at the lodge was delicious, and we decided to attend a stone-carving class.

Jerry And Stone Carving

The instructor’s assistant, Jerry, was a boy with Down syndrome, who was mildly retarded. Jerry took the time to show us all the tools and materials, and then he demonstrated the proper techniques. He showed us a golden arch of stone, which was a small replica of Hickman Bridge Arch, one of Capitol Reef’s most famous features. Jerry said it was his favorite piece and that it took him a long time to make. I decided to make the same thing. Jerry guided me, corrected me, encouraged me, but it didn’t turn out as pretty as his. At the class end, I thanked him for the help, and we left. Just approaching the door, I dropped the small arch, and crack! It broke. Jerry rushed over and stared at it. My wife lamented, and I felt bad, too. Then the moment became surreal. The boy quickly retrieved his arch sculpture and gave it to me, insisting that I take it as a keepsake. My wife and I said No, we couldn’t do that, but he really wanted me to have it.

His generosity brought a tear to my eye, and I realized the goodness in this boy. How ungrateful I had been for the simple and valuable things in life: playing catch with my daughter, my wife’s different but cute ways of doing things, the concern and interest shown me by the pastor, the chance to serve and strengthen relationships by helping my cousin move in, and the hard work and skills of the athletes on my favorite team and that you can’t win ‘em all.

Yes, Cougar Ridge Lodge made me a better person. The whole experience was cathartic, but Jerry was the straw that broke my bad outlook on life.