Tales from the Chautauqua: My Rock

Finding the altitude particularly challenging these days, Barbara walks slowly up the incline and steadies herself with her hands on her hips. Taking a sip of water from the canteen, her dry throat feels the relief usually resolved with a Werther’s Original hard candy. Tomorrow she may try the oxygen treatment to see if it will help her adjust from Baltimore sea-level conditions to 5700 feet above sea-level Boulder in short order.

“We came here all the time in those days…they were always full of joy and promise and love.” She mused to herself for a few minutes and then, turning her gaze to the surroundings, said, “There is nothing like the clear view of the Flatirons and the Colorado Plateau to tilt your heart towards hope.”

MaMere loves the ritual of returning to this place and these views to remind her of Anthony Ipsaro, her wise and loving husband of twenty years. “When you love someone, it is never long enough.”

U with bro

Anthony was ‘the Rock’ for many of us who have wanted to explore new areas, take on new professions and to be influential on those we really care about. He showed us how to explore careers, take on new challenges and influence others, over and over again. We all had to struggle with the What and the Why on our own and he eased us into the How.

“I feel his presence, when I am here…He moved to Colorado because of his graduate studies and the excitement he felt working with people who are drawn to the mountains. It is a place with fresh ideas and tons of energy and creativity. Who ever gets tired of this view?”

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