As I prepare to leave Idaho, and particularly Pocatello, I have been borderline maudlin. It is time to go, and new adventures are calling, but Southeast Idaho is deeply woven into my life’s fabric and psyche.
It would be easy to write a column claiming that I am bailing on Idaho because of its far-right political swing — there’s plenty of material to work with on that subject. Friends of mine have left the state because they find the rightward tilt intolerable, but that isn’t the reason why I am leaving.
Watching people claim freedom as their mantle while they seek to strip others of control over their bodies and the ability to practice proper health care is a good reason to leave, especially if I were a young woman or a doctor, or had grandchildren, but that’s not why I am leaving. Seeing the far right trying to impose its religious values through primary education indoctrination and seeking to whitewash history while trying to censor what we can read are also valid reasons to bail, but I am no longer raising children with impressionable minds. I’m not leaving Idaho for these reasons.
My decision to jump ship for Reno is basic. Wanting to be closer to immediate family and having an airport with workable flights (to get to Mexico) immediately come to mind. Being able to buy men’s clothes at an actual department store is also a plus. Not living in a place dominated by one religion is arguably a positive, although I have found the clean-living benefits of Mormonism far outweigh any perceived negatives.
In saying Pocatello lacks viable airport services, I am not critical of management at our local airport. I have worked with the city and its airport staff for over 20 years, having installed photos reflective of Southeast Idaho’s beauty, adding the Japanese
garden for travelers needing a peaceful break, and an origami exhibit that may be the finest in the world.
The staff at the airport have been wonderful to work with on all of these artistic endeavors.
They strive daily to make the airport viable for Southeast Idaho, but like many communities in America, small airports are being strangled by an industry that is not properly regulated and is intent upon short-term profit. Very little thought is given to what happens to the fabric of communities that are choked off from functional airline services.
One can criticize past decisions, but that won’t solve any of Pocatello’s needs. Being the devil’s advocate, a case can be made for building a regional airport near Blackfoot, but neither Pocatello nor Idaho Falls would be likely to sign onto that proposition, although it may still be the best long-term solution to service the needs of Southeast Idaho.
As I prepare to move to Reno, I decided to take a walk starting from the column at the top of Red Hill along the ridge-line of the hills flowing southward. If you have never done that, I highly recommend this hike. The view from Red Hill on a clear, sunny day (which I had) is stunning. Red Hill is strategically located like a knife point jutting into the Pocatello valley. Walking the ridge-line allows you to take in most of the city’s landmarks. The valley is beautiful, and everywhere I looked brought back memories of a life spent primarily in this valley.
My beginning in Pocatello wasn’t one of stability. A mother who departed when I was two, and a father (I loved dearly), who was ill and often hospitalized until his death when I was eleven, did not provide the foundation for a stable childhood. Ending up in the care of an abusive stepmother and a pedophile further complicated my early journey with Pocatello — my life, so to speak, started on quicksand.
With these early disadvantages, I managed to find my way back to my family. Being picked up by my birth mother’s brother (I did not know he even existed) when I was hitch-hiking at 16 started me on that path.
Idaho State University, with its nurturing environment, aided me in finding purpose and direction. I grew exponentially and eventually flourished in this valley, which is why I will always hold Pocatello and I.S.U. dear to my heart. Having a disadvantaged childhood gave me a greater appreciation for family and friends. Finding that broader family in Pocatello made all the difference in my life, for which I am eternally grateful.
My last column mentioned I have completed a short story, Manu’s Family. Every force that I experienced as a child, some of which are mentioned herein, contributed to the writing of this story. I want to share Manu’s lifelong journey with you. It’s a quick read at: manusfamily.net. A friend who read my story about Manu said it helped her to believe in god. If you connect with the story, please forward the link to your circle of family and friends and ask them to send it onward.