It Rays to live in Ogden

Ogden gets a lot of slack, and I completely understand why. But I think it takes a lot more slack than deserved. It's not nearly as trashy as say...west salt lake. Not nearly as full of crime either.
I was driving to meet a friend today. It was close to sun down. I had my windows down, allowing the cooling summer night air to blow through the windows and run through my hair. As I drove along Mountain Road as it turned into Harrison, the smell of the fields along the mountain rolled into my car. That was the smell of summer for me. I then got into the rural part of Ogden.

In downtown Ogden, the houses were reminiscent of a time when people sat on their porches and kids watched howdy doody. Ogden is the essence of the "American Dream" lifestyle. You can drive down the streets and picture it in the forties, fifties, sixties. Beautiful churches, an old Christian, a beautiful catholic, episcopilian, baptist, etc, were examples of the diverse religious lives in Ogden. As you get further into downtown you get an idea of what Ogden looked like in the twenties, thirties, forties; what bootleggers and Cattle Stock Union owners mingled in.

I met Jim at Bistro 258, sat outside on the patio. On a Friday night, people were coming in and out of shops and restaurants, bars and clubs. A harley festival was going on, filling the night air with the sounds of engines and mufflers. We ordered our souffle (the best souffle in the world.) and continued to talk. The sun started to set, turning the sky into a palette of pinks, oranges, yellows, purples and blues. The light reflected off of the gorgeous mountains that framed Ogden.

I realized tonight that I really love Ogden. I know I don't want to spend the rest of my life here, but I'm glad I love it. I'm glad that I've gotten to a place that when I finally move, I won't have a problem coming back. I won't dread coming back. We have a beautiful little humble temple, we have 25th street and other great additions to downtown that is building it up into a great place to be and spend your time.

I know Ogden isn't the best place, and it isn't even the best place in Utah, but it certainly isn't the worst. And it's not even a bad place. It's pretty awesome. Ogden is awesome. And I'm glad I am priveleged enough to be one of the few that see that.