If so, does that mean that different terrains attract different types of people? What a strange concept. Or is it? We’ve all heard stories of holy men living in mountain caves. Many prophets and devotees of major religions went to the mountains for comfort and guidance. The Old Testament says that Moses climbed to the top of Mt. Sinai to receive instructions from God. According to books of Mark and Matthew, Jesus went to a mountain to pray. I’m just an average person, but I do feel a reverence in the mountains, almost an awe.  

But what about other types of typography? What about deserts? It does seem like the desert has been a source of inspiration throughout the ages, but I wonder if it’s because no mountains were around. It seems that cultures who lived in flat or desert like terrains build temples, royal tombs and holy structures that went up. The Pyramids, the Tower of Babel and Mayan temples come to mind. There seemed to be something about getting physically higher that was appealing.  

Lakes? Lots of people want to live by the lake. Lakes and rivers have always been important in religious ceremonies. They have symbolized cleansing and transformation in Hindu, Jewish, and Christian cultures for thousands of years. The place where all your sins are washed away. But for most people, I dare say that is not the reason they want to be lakeside. Most people enjoy fast boats for water skis or tubes or jet skis to buzz around on. Fishing? The argument can certainly be made that fishing can be a contemplative time. A coworker told me once that when he retired, he wanted to fish without bait. Understood.  

Oceans? I don’t know of any figures in the major religions making a pilgrimage to the ocean, although the Camino de Santiago in Spain comes close to the Atlantic. The ocean seems a logical place to travel for inspiration. It certain seems to tune a person into the rhythms of life. What kind of people would chose to live ocean-side? Rich ones!

For me, and I think countless others, a source of inspiration and comfort has always been the mountains ... and I really can’t explain why.   

I grew up almost in the delta of Memphis, Tennessee. No mountains there, although the mighty Mississippi River is certainly a majestic sight. It seemed to inspire Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, and was the source for several of his wonderful books.

I vividly remember my first mountain experience. I was 19 years old. A group of friends drove to the Smokies on the Tennessee side for a hiking trip. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to cross the last bridge coming back to the parking lot from the hike to Rainbow Falls. It was snowing, and I was enthralled. I spent the next 40 years of my life in East Tennessee, but not as close to the mountains as I wanted.

Some say that people go to the mountains because they feel closer to God there. As if there were some sort of connection between altitude and holiness.

My husband and I have always been drawn to the mountains. We have been lucky enough to choose to live here. A lot of people don’t get that choice in life, and remain tethered to the cities and towns where they grew up. We wanted to leave, even though we didn’t go far. But it still seems odd that we were willing to leave our families and friends in Tennessee and move to a place where we didn’t know anybody.  Why would we do such a thing? If we are seekers, what are we seeking? Time will tell. All I know is that it felt like the right thing to do. We have met interesting people from all over the United States that have also moved here. Why? The beauty of the area is undeniable, but is there something else? 

There’s a saying that “biology is destiny,” meaning that we are genetically predisposed to travel certain pathways physically and mentally due to the chemical makeup of our cells. And there is certainly some truth to that. But how about, “typography is destiny?” Somehow I feel like I need to be here.    Maybe it’s something in my DNA. Maybe it’s something in my soul. Maybe it’s something in the air. Maybe there is no way to explain it at all.

(Laura Amour can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)