"I Could Never Live There!"

That’s what I often hear from people when I’m introduced as a Minnesotan. And on mornings like today, when my car dashboard read -10 degrees, I can see where they’re coming from.

Commitment to a place is a difficult thing to articulate, especially in a culture which seems to valorize moving. As I wrote last May, when you say that you’re going to spend your adult life in the same town in which you were reared, people often think this is some kind of psychological weakness.

Some filmmakers in the Twin Cities captured a sense of why some of us are so committed to this place. It’s called “Why We’re Here,” and it’s worth 5 minutes and 49 seconds of your time (below the fold). After you watch it, let me know if you want the name of a good realtor.