I have enjoyed sharing stories from my youth and growing up in rural Alaska. There are many more that I could tell and I hope that you have enjoyed them.
As we wrap up one year and venture on into another, I want to look forward and encourage you to do the same. Find your own adventures in life, whether you live in Alaska or not. Your adventures don’t have to include bear encounters or blizzards or mining, but as so often in mine, they include family and friends.
Don’t let life pass you by. Most people tend to regret the things they haven’t done than those that they have.
I missed out on a normal kid experiences; playing sports, dating, having multiple friends my own age. My mom has often apologized for the way that we grew up, afraid of us resenting the absence of these childhood norms. But I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.
My world is so much bigger because of it. My life so much more unique. What I think as ordinary and mundane is amazing and unbelievable to others. It was hard and had its own challenges, but so does any life worth living.
Thank you again for coming with me on this journey and I hope that this next year is a safe, but adventurous one for you.
Matthew Lasley 