longer.blue

I had a moment of reflection this morning, and perhaps this post is a little bit about what I sat with and what I want to share with you. This mountain — and the things that I share — can both inspire people and also remind them of sorrowful moments. To each individual person, this mountain can mean many different things and is often felt all at once. It's a relationship that can change with time. For many here, the mountain they knew with joy as a child or a younger person became a source of pain, whether directly or indirectly. I did not live through the events of 1980, did not (and do not) live in Washington State or the Pacific Northwest, and wasn't alive at all back then. Though my sources are all primary (books, newspapers, reports, personal correspondences), they don't capture everyone's story — everyone's experience and what they sit with. I am not a perfect storyteller, I admit. But I care deeply about this mountain and the entire picture of what happened. You don't invest these years of research for your own understanding without growing emotional bonds with the people and places, past and present. I have a feeling most historians have this deep connection feeling as well. I also care about sharing with you the things people haven't seen, but for many of you, this is living history, not in the deep past; attention and care have to be given. It's not a spectacle, and I'm not a fanboy enthusiast who mass-shares materials for clout and likes. This is not an attempt to grow my personal brand or visibility at the expense of people's pain — I could never live with myself. Yet, this is where I listen because, as I have said before here and on my accounts on other platforms, this is just as much your space as it is mine. The more you tear down my blinders and show me how it impacted you, the more I can talk about this story with the right tone and mindfulness. I can close my eyes and better picture, though never truly experience, what happened. So, if I get it wrong, if the material doesn't land right, or if you think it's missing something, please share. If you have a memory that you haven't shared before but you think it's time, please share. If you have a question that needs answering, I might not be able to get to it or have the answer, but I'm still here to help. This isn't a mission statement, but it's a commitment to you. Anyways, just a sidebar. — Chris K.