My relationship with Minot is a complicated one, something which is probably instantly evident if you ever ask me about it in person. I'm sure my eyes show conflict in a way that words just can't. I think a lot of it can be summarized by saying that I never felt like it was home. Three different addresses, four different schools, lots of fantastic friends . . . but it never really felt "right" to me in the way that Pittsburgh did the very first time I set eyes on the Golden Triangle. Apparently you can't tell your heart where home is, it has to feel it for itself.
That said, there is one thing about Minot that absolutely always felt right. Growing up surrounded by the caliber of people that live in Minot is something indescribable. The closest I can come to finding the words for it is that it's sort of like growing up surrounded by a community of people who can make Mr. Rogers look like the most inconsiderate jerk you've ever met. They are good people, in a way that makes it possible to leave your car running while you run into Walmart. They make it OK to let your children roam the streets unsupervised. They chase you down to give you back your wallet that you dropped at the other end of the mall. They are the kind of people who will do absolutely anything for anyone at any time. If I ever manage to come across as a good-hearted person, I can guarantee you that it's because goodness is something that infiltrates your soul when you spend any sort of time in Minot.
Let me just show you a very small sampling of what makes Minot what it is. These are all Facebook status updates that I grabbed from public news pages (mostly this one) and a few groups.
There are hundreds of status updates everywhere that say things like this:
There are offers to help with childcare.
People are opening up their homes to strangers.
There are people asking for help on behalf of strangers, and strangers responding to those requests instantly.
It's not just individuals showing their true colors. Businesses like Royal Fork Buffet are sacrificing personal gain for the sake of the greater good.
(BTW, they really do have great food. True story.)
And then there is . . . honestly, I have no words for this . . .
These are the people who are losing their homes. This is Minot.
You can support the Minot Red Cross Chapter here.
You can support Minot's Habitat for Humanity chapter here.