By Friday evening, everyone had left except us and our hosts, Rick and Debbie. About 5:00 p.m., the four of us drove into the Rocky Mountain National Park to see if we could catch a glimpse of the giant elk that roam the forests and meadows like ghosts. We hoped that we might even hear the elk “bugling,†something they only do during the mating season.

We had not been driving twenty minutes when we saw several cars stopped along a meadow. We got out of the car and immediately saw a bull elk with about six cows grazing. Then we noticed several elk on the mountainside above our car. We literally got within twenty yards of these giant creatures, our jaws drooping in wonder.

After thirty minutes of watching—and no bugling—we went to another site and parked. We got out of the car, unfurled our blankets, sat down with our binoculars, and opened a bottle of red wine. We passed a tray of cheese and crackers between us.

Within minutes another bull elk emerged from the woods. Soon, several cows followed and even a few calves. As we stared and whispered to each other, the calves began chasing one another in a circle. We knew we were witnessing something extraordinary. It was a perfect moment ... but not the last.

As the sun set, the bulls finally began to bugle. The dimly lit meadows came alive with sounds—an elk choir, singing an ancient and elaborate melody. Older elks bellowed deeply. Younger ones trumpeted with joy. They called to one another and to their Creator, seemingly oblivious to our presence. I have never experienced anything like this. (Click here to hear an audio sample.)

This morning when I woke up, my first emotion was profound gratitude. Even though my financial worth had been decimated by the events of the last three weeks, I realized that nothing could touch the things that are most valuable to me. Experiencing the elk at dusk with people I love was a timely reminder.

I also realized that I have a choice: I can focus on what I have lost or I can focus on what I have. I started making a mental list:

And the list goes on. I could name a hundred more things, but you get the idea.

My guess is that the financial crisis is going to get worse before it gets better. You and I have very little control over what happens in the external environment. But we do have control over what happens inside our hearts. It all depends on our mental focus.

What do you have that Wall Street can’t touch?