Looking at North Dakota
I’ve been letting the images and thoughts of my eight day trip to North Dakota simmer. There’s much to be said for allowing the brain to process.
I again noted the utter lack of diversity. I don’t believe most of the folks there feel like they’ve missed out on anything nor have I seen any signs that racism is alive and well.
It may be that the lack of diversity is one of the major reasons for the warmth and welcome that you receive from most of the people you meet in that state. They simply don’t know any better. All of the body language and behaviors we learn in other parts of America are missing on this part of the prairie. You won’t be assaulted for looking someone in the eyes on a street. You can leave your doors unlocked most places and your children run free. Gang colors refer to John Deere green and International Harvester red. The Fargo-Morehead area schools graduate 86-96% of their students compared to Rochester’s sad 55% rate.
I also realized that there are far fewer emergencies. When your hospital is 30 miles away and the nearest trauma center is 75, you balance your decisions better. Not everything needs an ambulance or a doctor. As I walked through our crowded emergency departments on Sunday with patients, I really could see that our lifestyle here in Rochester contributes to our lack of well-being. Hurry, rush, it’s a big deal, it’s an emergency!
Well, it’s not. I saw a patient being treated for an infected hangnail at a local trauma center. That’s us, going to the hospital for a hangnail.
It bothered me, being out there. Oh, I missed the lovely wife and my four kitties, but that wasn’t it. I felt like I was in high gear and spinning my tires. I was going too fast for conditions, too fast for patience and contemplation and relaxation. Eight days weren’t enough to slow me down. I could clearly see what was there, I just couldn’t quite reach it.
Table of contents for North Dakota Trip Nov. 2007
- North Dakota Days
- Back From Dakota
- Looking at North Dakota
- North Dakota Pics
- More North Dakota 2007 Pics
[...] good education and a distinct lack of panic made an impression on visitor Chuck Simmons. From his post: All of the body language and behaviors we learn in other parts of America are missing on this part [...]
Yes! You so clearly described our lifestyle here! It’s not that we don’t have fast lanes to live in, but there’s still room to breathe here and I think even our fast lanes aren’t as fast as in other parts of the nation.
In my opinion, the things that make rural North Dakota so different from the rest of the world are the creativity of the people, their resolve to do things for themselves if they can, and their refusal to panic when they’re not in control of everything.
It adds up to peace.