Randy and I were listening to a discussion entitled, “A Fuller Sense of Place” last week created by the Highland’s Study Center.  Although they were directing their conversation toward where people choose to live and how a sense of community grows, Randy and I could see a direct correlation to where people choose to vacation and why the Latigo Dude Ranch has become special to so many people.

A place has the potential of becoming special to you when it has distinct qualities that make it unique.  The place begins to matter when passion is involved; emotional investment brings about passion and causes a place to matter.  It’s place that anchors people.  A shared place offers you the potential for history with other people, and when we have a fuller sense of shared life, we have a fuller sense of place.

In a broad way, this explains some of the drive for guests to return to Latigo.  Each summer vacation has its own personality, but because the ranch is basically the same, the experience of each summer broadens the history each person has here.  We, as owners, have an even grander sense of history within our gates.  Not only do we enjoy the guests who share each week with us, but our ‘family’ of former staff members grows each summer and offers us a very privileged sense of history – making this place special.  We particularly appreciate those guests who come back year after year.  With them, we have many shared experiences, which produce a special bond and a true sense of place.

We love our life here; we love the guests, the staff, the horses, the location…  But when it comes down to the root of why we do what we do, what this place affords our children is crucial.  We wanted to offer them an idyllic place to grow and establish their roots.  If they move away, we want them to feel grounded in what was built here at the ranch.  We pray that they have developed a strong work ethic, an appreciation for service, a love for God’s creation, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from doing things that build up others and His Kingdom.

Working alongside each other and our children has most definitely given us a fuller sense of shared life, and because of that, we have a fuller sense of place.  How privileged we are.