06/24/2026
This captures what it felt like to be a child visiting the Nebraska Sandhills. Running through a sea of prairie. No buildings or crowds. Just nature, wildlife, and the freedom to explore.
As a child, I watched my grandfather when we visited. Every adventure he took us on, there was a deep pride as he shared his slice of heaven. Even then, I remember noticing how happy it made him to see us experience the place he loved so deeply.
I didn’t grow up in the Sandhills, but I was taught it was the place of my ancestors and understood the importance of what he and they held dear. I understood that this place was special. Rare. Irreplaceable.
I never imagined I would one day call it home.
But now that I do, I understand my grandfather even more deeply. I know what it’s like to watch a child explore this place with such wonder. The awe that comes from being in a place so connected to nature that, if you stand still long enough, you can almost hear it whisper.
Once you’ve experienced the Sandhills, a part of it stays with you forever.
What an incredible and unexpected honor it is to pass on that same feeling I experienced as a child. To now watch others discover this place with wonder, and to find myself smiling with the same pride I once saw in my grandfather’s eyes.
