Alaska is always where home is

RESSLIN' AROUND

Twelve years ago, I graduated from Wasilla High School and couldn't wait to get out of the state. Like every other 18-year-old who grew up here, I thought it was obvious why I wanted to leave -- Alaska's too remote, there's nothing to do and it's just boring.

A couple years spent living in a city and going to a school that has more than 40,000 students has a way of changing the way you think, and in a hurry.

In high school, I couldn't wait to leave this place. In college, I couldn't wait to come home -- not because I was homesick, but because I finally realized what Alaska really was.

A few years after I came back, a good high school friend returned to Alaska for good as well. Aaron lives in Anchorage, which, being only 20 minutes from Alaska, sort of qualifies him as moving back home I guess.

Aaron and I have spent the better part of four or five years now hitting every local stream every weekend it seems. Now, as adults, we've both realized how much Alaska has to offer, and why our parents ultimately decided to live here in the first place. Neither of us could ever leave the state for good now -- but we'd probably be open to a couple weeks flyfishing in Montana.

Around Thanksgiving, I ran into another friend of mine from high school who decided he had had enough of the Lower 48. Last November, Adam packed up his family and returned home, electing to live in Eagle River. He already had a very successful job lined up upon his return, and bringing his family to Alaska was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Just last week, another good friend decided the East Coast was too busy, too big and too, well, too East Coast. Brian packed up and headed north, arriving back home looking for a fresh start.

He doesn't have a job lined up yet -- anyone need a graphic artist/web designer? -- but he knew he wanted to come back, and had been planning the move since last fall.

Young Alaskans don't often realize what they have in their own backyard, and sometimes spending time where the grass is perceived to be much greener is the only way to fully appreciate not only the Valley, but the entire state.

The reasons why I wanted to leave in the first place are the exact reasons why I remain an Alaskan now.

I enjoy seeing Denali pierce the clouds as I fish for rainbow trout, sometimes not seeing another person for an entire afternoon. I like seeing Pioneer Peak stand tall every morning on my way to work. I like the anticipation of that one morning in the spring when every tree explodes with green buds following the first real good rain of the year.

Living in Alaska does have some drawbacks -- you can't just jump into the car and head to a Mariners game -- but they can't begin to outweigh the many positive things.

Alaska isn't for everyone, that's for sure.

This state really is a "love it or hate it" type of place -- some people could never live here. For the rest of us, though, that axiom only means that you have to hate it before you can truly love it.

Casey Ressler (valleylife@frontiersman.com) is the Valley Life editor.