Reflections on Michigan While Moving to Utah

For the past nine years Michigan has been my home, and while this time has been marked by the devastating decline and death of my wife, yet I look back on my sojourn in Grand Rapids with more good memories than bad because of the remarkable people with who I have the privilege to become acquainted.  I respect and love dearly my friends in Grand Rapids who have blessed my life by their kindness, company, and good examples.

I am especially indebted & grateful to:

• My Younger-onset Alzheimer's Support Group members who understood and helped me deal with all the stress and concerns a caregiver has for a spouse with dementia.
• The wonderful staff at Azpira Place of Breton who looked after Kristie and helped relieve me of the stress of her ongoing 24-hour care.
• So many wonderful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with whom I had the opportunity to serve, and in return be served.  Their fellowship, examples, and charity provided me with a sense of belonging and purpose when I had no other family close by.

During 7-decades of mortality, I have been influenced and blessed by many remarkable individuals, and this is certainly the case while I have been Grand Rapids, Michigan. I appreciate their friendship and support even more because of my nightmare and loss due to Alzheimer's.

A Clear Perspective in Utah, and What Michigan has that Utah Doesn't

Michigan is beautiful, especially when the leaves change color in the fall as these photos demonstrate.  

And Michigan has something that Utah doesn't - at least I haven't seen it during the week that I have been here.  What is missing in Utah are these white, fluffy things that appear in the sky.  They are called clouds.  Utahans  claim they have clouds, but I have only seen sunny blue sky (as the photos clearly show below) and I will believe it when I actually see some clouds here.

  

But as you can also clearly see below, Utah has something that Michigan doesn't.  They are these huge, massive geological formations of rock that rise up out of the ground to tower over the valleys below.  In Utah they are called mountains.  

So I live on Timpview Drive, which is an abbreviation for Mt. Timpanogos view drive.  But it isn't like the road I live on is the only place to view this gigantic, magnificent peak which rises up 11,752 feet in elevation.  I think they should call the entire county and surrounding area for 50 miles Timpview.

So Why Move to Utah?

I love my friends and have many wonderful memories in Michigan.  So what prompted, or drew me to Utah?  It was because in this time of a pandemic, and heightened social and political unrest with all the isolation, stress, and turmoil - it appears that there are still some pockets of  joy, tranquility, and love to be found within the shadows of Mt. Timpanogos - as this photo of my daughter and three grandsons clearly shows.