Minnesota...the price of fame

I am from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and intensely proud of it.

I've educated countless Brits (and more than a few Americans) on the just where the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is. I've always jumped on any opportunity to share information about my home state and what a beautiful, diverse, and stimulating place it is. Countless times I've gritted my teeth at questions like, "Is that anywhere near Florida?" While privately shaking my head over what I consider the shortfall of most people's basic knowledge of geography, I've tried to be a positive ambassador for the state, sharing what Minnesotans refer to as "Minnesota nice." I've always thought, "Everybody should know Minnesota!" My family jokes that I think of it as the center of the universe.

This past week I got what I wished for...in a horrible way. The sudden collapse of a high traffic bridge on I35W brought my beloved home state into the spotlight. It has been featured on news sites, in papers and on TV throughout the world. Suddenly, everyone I talk to does know Minnesota...and I feel nothing but sadness. Sadness over the lives lost and the fear imparted; sadness at how MN has been changed forever. Things like this don't happen in Minnesota...or, they didn't. The worst in our world always happened somewhere else.

The price of fame is too high.