In theory being split by two extremes is the
equivalent to vivisection. If nothing else the
result of such a dichotomy is uncomfortable
at best. Thus the reason why many people
are fascinated by the very concept that I try
to balance life between the isle of Manhattan
and rural Montana. In truth the two opposites
attract and engage me in very different ways.
And in the end somehow balance each other.
Therefore I've found my personal sweet spot
by leveraging the best of both worlds. And
embracing the fact that my happy place is
neither here nor... there. But everywhere.
Home is where the heart is. Out east I'm very
comfortable. Especially within the confines
of Manhattan where I feel at home. There is
an air of elegance that permeates life in New
York City. Frequently intermixed with doses
of reality that insure one stays humble. Oddly
it's the same here in Lewistown. Way out in
the wild west everything is rather rough and
tumbled. Which guarantees that one remains
grounded. However all one has to do is stop
and look at the mountains, big sky, and vast
prairies to instantly be inspired. That's the
magic of yin and yang. Here and there...
Opposites do attract. Most of us are living proof
that contradictory forces can work in harmony.
What's most important is balancing the extreme.
So many want to take the easy way out. If one
doesn't take risks there is little to gain beyond
complacency. As a creature of habit I know all
too well just how comfortable a common place
can be. Yet the majority of all that I hold near
and dear was happened upon via trial and error.
Hence yet another old adage rings true in that
we don't know what we're missing. Sans going
to extremes - we omit what just could be the
most satisfying of NEW experiences.
In order to be a visionary one must go where
few if any are willing to tread. Lewistown's
boom years occurred in the first two decades
of the twentieth century. Risk takers from
all over the world capriciously traveled to
and purposefully settled in the middle of
no where. Bringing with them their varied
experiences, knowledge, and expertise. And
so our community was built on a foundation
of radically different perspectives. Amidst
the reality of TOUGH climate and terrain.
Made all the more livable by leveraging the
knowledge base of an experienced populace.
Without external influences it's rather hard to
continuously grow and prosper. Ultimately it
seems the end result of myopia is a fear of the
unknown. Which not only limits the options
of the individual themselves but inhibits the
success of the community at large. Everyday
my broad experience impacts how, where,
when, and why I do just about everything.
Obviously not everything urban works within
a rural context. Yet having been there - done
that enables me to think outside of the good
old Montanan box. Which is the reason that
I see vast horizons while others build fences.
In order to get from here to there one must
have some basis of context. In order to push
our boundaries we must consider the other
side. That's the only way to get to a better
place. America's greatest strength is that
we are a melting pot of people, cultures,
races, creeds, and related experiences. And
since our founding America has leveraged
the amalgam of these dichotomies to our
collective advantage. However some of
our leaders want to stop the steady flow
of new in order to protect what's tried and
true. And what could be worse than that?
We are who we are. The only way to evolve
is exposure to what may seem scary. Most of
our ancestors were once strangers in this land.
Each of them built up what we now take for
granted through successes and failures. Sans
pain there is no gain. As any rancher here in
central Montana knows, without an influx of
new your pond will quickly grow stagnant.
Soon thereafter all within it die. Ultimately
it dries up and disappears. If we refuse to go
with the flow that may happen in the USA.
In extreme times such as these we all must
expand our horizons in order to SURVIVE!
