Being From Iowa

Being from Iowa means many different things to people. When you include it in your self-introduction you can rely on immediately finding anyone else in the room that might also be from the midwest or a descendent thereof. We practically shout out, “I’m from Iowa too!” It is a badge of honor because we know what it is to be of that small state. However, others who don’t share your lived experience will still confuse it with Idaho, Ohio, or Nebraska and sadly, we feel compelled to set them straight for their own good. I suppose now, we could just say that it’s one of the flyover states and leave it at that.

I believe that the 17 years I spent there definitely made me stronger and more persevering than I would have been growing up here in California. In the years I lived there, it appeared to be a harsh and even brutal environment. The questioning adolescent in me wondered why you would be here unless you were a farmer. It was good dirt but what other gifts did it hold? The summers were hot and humid and the winters brown and frigid. Just when you thought things were warming up, an April blizzard would appear on the horizon. The month of May always seemed nice but beyond those few short weeks there was little that was dependable for anything you wanted to do beyond the walls of your home.

I definitely learned about all types of weather in my childhood. There was no form of precipitation or moving air that we didn’t experience. It seemed there were rules passed down through the generations that corresponded to many of them, especially hail and tornadoes. Watching or listening to the weather report was an important start to each day. This too, is something that Californians simply don’t understand and why they are so often surprised by the weather but it is a ritual that I never left behind.

Around election time, every few years, brings up a curious question. Did you caucus when you lived in Iowa? No, I can honestly say I was not a part of this bizarre notion of choosing corners to “vote” in a presidential primary. Luckily, it started the year that I left for college. But the thing about curiosities is that it’s hard to keep from watching them so, yes, I will be tuned in on Monday to see just who shows up to the Republican Caucus and how many layers of jackets and coats they have donned to make the outing because this year they will have the added challenge of snow and frigid temperatures.

So, Iowans, enjoy your limelight this week. I salute all of you for your continued fortitude in eking out a living in the cold and brutal midwest. I am grateful for my time there but am truly blessed to have found a home here in California.