Commentary
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine wrote this now-popular travel quote before the fall of the Roman Empire, which I’m sure most people would offhandedly acknowledge as true. However, a poignant experience can reinforce a concept you’ve frequently heard and make its significance very apparent. This happened to me when I recently visited Billings, Montana.
As a traditional American in the post-pandemic world, it’s easy to lose hope in our country and fellow citizens. I’ve spent my whole life in California, the acknowledged liberal capital of the country—if not the world. Although one reads about conservative meccas like Florida and Texas, I wondered how different people truly could be because of the worldwide influence of social media and the internet. I was in for a surprise when I visited Montana for the first time in November 2022 for the week of Thanksgiving….