“Some places stay in our hearts, even when the landscape changes.”
This question used to feel pretty easy. If I could live anywhere in the world, the answer would be Beulah, Colorado, without any hesitation. But since the fire, writing those words feels so different. It is still the place my heart loves, but now my heart also carries grief, worry, and prayer.
It is hard to write about a dream place when that special location has been wounded, when families have lost homes, memories, and peace of mind. Still, through the sadness, I would choose Beulah every single time.
It is a charming little town, tucked away in a lovely mountain valley, filled with beautiful landscapes, peaceful days, and kind and generous people. This mountain community cares for one another; people visit, check in, and wave, and it is so inviting that even strangers feel welcome. Life moves at a slower pace and reminds each of us to breathe a little deeper, look around, and appreciate what is right in front of us.
Throughout the year, the people gather for community events, small-town traditions, friendly conversations, and neighbors helping neighbors. This place feels like home, where people belong.
And the landscapes are breathtaking, filled with green pastures that stretch across the valley. A forest of thick Ponderosa pines covers the hillsides. The mountain air feels clean and calm. Pueblo Mountain Park, with its hundreds of acres, trails, picnic areas, and gathering spaces, offers fun and remarkable days outdoors. The perfect place to create lasting memories.
Wildlife has always been a part of Beulah’s magic. Deer graze in pastures and front lawns. Turkeys meander across roads and roost in nearby pines. On occasion, elk, bear, and mountain lion would be spotted. Some of my favorite pictures include bear cubs crossing roads or peeking through tree branches after climbing trees for protection.
This valley is my happy place. Beauty is found in every corner and every bend in the road. I especially love the golden hour when the sunlight dances between the pines and touches the valley in a soft, warm glow. Deer and squirrels visit and make themselves at home in yards around the valley, reminding everyone that Beulah is a place where people and nature live side by side. For me, Beulah will always be my escape from a busy world, a place to slow down, enjoy the beauty of nature, breathe in fresh air, and enjoy the peace the valley so freely offers.
Beulah celebrates all four seasons. Spring brings fat honeybees and wildflowers. Summer offers gentle rains, warm days, and cool evenings. Autumn paints the valley in gold, amber, and yellow. Winter turns everything quiet and still, covering the valley in snow and turning it into a magical winter wonderland. Each season shares its own kind of beauty, and each season gives Beulah another reason to be loved.
But now, as the community rebuilds, the beauty is found in its people. Neighbors and friends gather together again, offering helping hands, open hearts, and shoulders to lean on. Their strength rises as they continue to care for one another. Since the fire, that special grace and kindness matter even more. Beulah is not just a pretty place; it’s also a community with heart.
The fire may have changed the landscape, but it has not changed the love the people have for this town. Some places will never look the same. Some families have lost their homes, and it is hard to write about wanting to live in a place when so many are grieving for what the fire took from them.
But the fire does not erase what Beulah truly means. If anything, it shows how deeply this special place is loved. I will always call Beulah my happy place, even when sadness may tug at my heart. I would still choose the peaceful living, the wildlife, the trails, the mountains, and most of all, its kind people. Home is sometimes loving a place through its hardest chapters.
Now, when I think of Beulah and the home of my dreams, I pray for healing. I imagine meadows turn green once again, birds singing from trees, wildlife returning to familiar places, and a loving community rebuilding with courage, faith, and love.
Beulah may be wounded right now, but she is still beautiful, still loved, and still the place my heart would choose.
So if I could choose anywhere in the world to live, I would still pick Beulah, not because it is untouched by hardship, but because it remains a place of beauty, kindness, strength, and the feeling of home.
Aspen Fire Update:
The Aspen Acres Fire has grown to approximately 93,600 acres, with containment improving to 15%. Firefighters continue to make progress, helped by higher humidity, though afternoon storms, lightning, and gusty winds remain a concern. Some evacuation areas have been downgraded from mandatory evacuation to pre-evacuation, but many communities, including areas near Beulah and across Pueblo, Custer, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, remain under evacuation orders. More than 1,300 personnel continue working to protect homes, strengthen containment lines, and support affected communities.
Colorado strong ❤️
Monetary Donations: Can be sent to the United Way Southern Colorado.