I was driving around the backroads near our home the other day when a thought struck me: the area we live in is absolutely beautiful.

I looked around at the variety of trees just beginning to turn colors, the rolling hills and the ponds, all illuminated by the slowly setting sun, which cast soft lavenders and pinks across the sky. It was enchanting.

I thought about the brilliant skies of the winter months that were soon headed our way.

I came back to Minnesota with the intention of appreciating my home state while we are here (and I truly have to some degree), but I realized that it has always been with the thought in the back of my mind that there are better places out there. And that we will someday leave again.

I realized that I rarely give Minnesota a chance to impress me. I rarely give it a chance to make me happy. I spend a lot of my time unhappy about the bugs and humidity, which always seems to be the case at the end of summer. I spend my time thinking of all the other places I would rather live, if only I could take everyone I love with me.

And so I’ve decided to let Minnesota in. On that quiet drive through the country roads, I knew I would be much happier if I let myself see what everyone who loves Minnesota already sees. That this is a truly beautiful place to live.

We set off on an adventure this morning, driving west on our way to Yellowstone. And in spite of the bugs and humidity in Minnesota, I can honestly say, “At least we don’t live in North Dakota!”