If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name

News from small-town Alaska. Heather Lende has done a beautiful job of summing up the ins and outs of living in Haines, Alaska. Cut off from many modern technological advances, Lende paints an incredible picture as we venture with her on the wooded trails, across the water, and up the side of mountains in search for how she fits into this environment. The mother of five children, she also writes for the local newspaper. She has made me tear up a couple of times as she describes learning how to exist in this modern world -- tucked in between the Tlingit Indians and the conveniences of 2007. She will take you on journeys from hunting sheep, writing obituaries, and fishing ships sinking to church potlucks, love of her family, and coexisting with those who believe differently than she does. It made me feel good inside to know that there are those such as Lende that blend in seamlessly to our society and, yet, play such an important role in their homes, towns, and neighborhoods. She'll renew your, perhaps waning, faith in bringing two opposing sides together and what it feels like to stand up for something you believe in...even in small-town America. Her spirit and writing seems fresh and alive -- just exactly what we need to rejuvenate us with an afternoon cup of hot tea. You'll be glad you took the time to check this one out.

*** "A life spent working and living in a small town with people I may disagree with has taught me a lot about humility and forgiveness. And when to keep my mouth shut. Some lessons have been more painful than others, but my days and my life are richer because of them."

*** "We cried because we were happy, and because people we loved were happy, and because we were all happy in love together. Only adults weep with joy. Children don't. They haven't learned how rare moments of true happiness are."