from Kevin Dowling on 25 Sep 2023
There is no question that pulling into Grand Teton National Park changed me forever. I experienced a beautiful realization that our lives are wonderfully inconsequential. The park’s grandiose impact leaves no room for ego. I ventured into the Pleasuring Grounds at a time in which I was at risk of losing a career which has given me a glimpse into the idea of what people consider success. My work in the film industry has given me much to be grateful for. It has afforded me great financial stability, accolades from my peers, a good sense of humanity and the respect of my family. The National Parks, however, awakened something primal within me that has made all of that feel slightly unimportant. No creation of man, no photograph made, no painting painted, no sculpture molded, no film produced, will ever come close to being as incredibly perfect as the protected spaces of our National Parks. With protection, they will outlive us all and inspire generation after generation to reflect on the meaning of our existence and implore us to remember who we actually are.Humbled and grateful.