Ten months ago, I packed my Honda and drove over 1,000 miles to a new and unpredictable adventure. When I turned the corner onto Parkway Avenue, I was blind-sided with memories of my own hometown. Small and endearing. Quaint and yet entirely worldly in its own right. But this town contained one thing that Waxhaw, North Carolina could not boast: a professional theatre company and a thriving arts scene. Stepping out of the car was almost like stepping back in time. This town transports you into a simplicity that few Americans know anymore. In the hustle and bustle of city lights and busy streets, we often forget to slow down and take a break. Lanesboro, Minnesota not only encourages a laid-back world view; its structure and population almost demands it.

If you had told me in May of last year that I would be closing in on the culmination of one of the most thought-provoking and challenging processes of my life in one of the smallest towns I have ever known, and I would be traveling to Winona with one of my apprentice colleagues to give a radio interview specifically focused on conveying the aforementioned information in less than ten minutes, I would have laughed in your face. Yet, as I sat on the other end of the microphone, chatting with Bob at KWNO in Winona, answering some very challenging questions about our project and my craft in general, I couldn’t help being surprised by the hint of pride I heard in my own voice. This wasn’t that arrogant, self-exalting pride. It was a genuine contentment and happiness that I haven’t ever felt in any relation to my chosen career path.

That was when I knew, for sure, that being at the Commonweal was the right decision. Even though many different situations have pointed to this conclusion this past Winter, Fall, and Spring, none rang truer than this moment. I was up at 5 o’ clock this morning, groggily stumbling to the shower preparing for an unmotivated promotional spot on a backwoods radio station. But in the end, I found out a lot about myself and the immense opportunity I’ve been given through a few challenging questions on a talk-radio show.

I hope our venture into the blogging world has opened some eyes and peaked some interest. If I never take the stage again after March 28, I can say that I’ve been involved in something that brings me pride and certainty in the career I have chosen. But they often say that you don’t choose this business. It chooses you.

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