meet your neighbors
The Smith Family By Pam Smith | Photography by Mort Mulliken
Where are you from? This question used to stump all the members of our family. Since we met in 1972, we have lived in 16 homes in 13 cities and towns in five countries on three continents (but who’s counting?). Our daughters, Brittany and Linsey, lived in three countries outside the U.S. for most of their school-age years. These experiences obviously stretched our family’s horizons, but also challenged our notions of the concept of “home.” When we were living in Hong Kong, we bought a painting by Chinese artist Yu Anjun. It is a simple calligraphy of the Chinese character that means home, based on a door in a Beijing hutong (walled neighborhood). The painting has an honored place in our hearth room, and reminds us of the special effort it takes to create a sense of home no matter where we are. With all that gallivanting around for so many years, we both knew that when we retired, we wanted to put down roots in a place where we could still roam.
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Rick needed a break from the constant international business travel required during his 30-year career with Eli Lilly & Company, but neither of us wanted to sit on the couch and vegetate. Especially after living in Hong Kong, with the highest population density in the world, we yearned for wide open spaces and plenty of outdoor recreation. We looked all over the Rocky Mountain region before Rick remembered Cordillera from a long-ago business retreat at the Lodge & Spa. It was like a dream. Clean air, millions of stars visible at night, hiking paths and golf and wildlife and friendly people! When Rick was retiring in 2006, a condominium came available on the Big Island of Hawaii, right next door to Pam’s dad’s place. We pounced on that
But who’s counting? 46 years of togetherness 16 apartments and homes 13 towns and cities 5 countries 3 continents 2 beautiful daughters
opportunity, knowing that commuting between Cordillera and Hawaii would more than satisfy any lingering wanderlust. Now, when we are not fishing, hiking, golfing, biking, practicing yoga, snowshoeing or skiing in the Vail Valley, we are fishing, hiking, biking, golfing, practicing yoga and watching the whales and the sunset from our lanai in Hawaii. One common thread in our vagabond life has been a commitment to the communities where we have lived. Pam co-founded The Women’s Foundation of Hong Kong and in Vienna and Geneva was active in the International Women’s Association. In Colorado, she has served on the board of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado and the Vail Symposium’s advisory board. Both of us were enthusiastic participants on the capital campaign committee of the Castle Peak Senior Care Community being built in Eagle and we are so grateful to Cordillera and many of its residents for supporting that project! Pam has recently presided over the condominium owners’ association in Hawaii and Rick is serving his second stint on the Cordillera Property Owners’ Association, further solidifying our commitment to the best possible quality of life in the places we now call “home.” Get to know your neighbors better by having your family or neighbor featured in an upcoming issue! Email me at ann.schimmel@n2pub.com with your ideas.
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