"It was colder than the well diggers ankles in Cut Bank, Montana"... Hank Williams Jr. was not wrong with the opening line to his song that happens to take the name of my hometown. When entering Cut Bank from the East, the first two things anyone will see is, first, a sign that says, "Welcome to Cut Bank where the Rockies meet the plains" and secondly, a gigantic penguin which reads, "Welcome to Cut Bank, MT coldest spot in the nation". When you enter town from the West, you'll run into an identical "Welcome to Cut Bank where the Rockies meet the plains" sign, but no giant penguin statue.
It takes about five minutes (sometimes less) to get from one end of Cut Bank to the other. About 3,000 people live there. Everyone knows everyone, good (and bad) news travels very fast, and the support system is incredible. Growing up in Cut Bank most of us are guilty of saying things like, "I hate this place", "I can't wait to get out of here", "I'm never coming back", etc. It's one of those places that everyone says they can't wait to leave, and yet many return to or don't leave at all.
There are just below 200 students in the high school. Most of the teachers know you through your older siblings or cousins, and some may have even graduated with your parents. There's a good chance one, or both, of your parents even works in the school system. Even when you're not in high school, so much of your life probably still revolves around it. There's not much else to do in Cut Bank than attend high school sporting events or concerts, and good portions of the community can be found there on a regular basis. You may be in your early years of college, but odds are some of your best friends are still in high school. Most peoples' homes are sporting the school calendar as their main calendar year round. Homecoming is a community event, and on prom, you can bet that everyone will be there to watch you spin on that stage at Grand Entry. We bleed purple and gold, and by "we", I mean the entire community. That doesn't ever seem to go away. We take pride in our sports teams, students, teachers, coaches, and community members.
In times of need or hardship, the community comes together as a whole. I've seen it multiple times. When one family mourns, the whole town mourns with them. When someone celebrates a victory, or a milestone, or just a landmark birthday the whole community celebrates with them. People are kind and welcoming. Cut Bank is the most supportive town, and I'm extremely thankful for that which has been given to me over the years. Without a place like Cut Bank, I don't honestly know if I'd be where or who I am today. When I go home on the weekend, I get hugs and everyone wants to know how college is going. Most of these people have known me since I was- *put's hand a foot off the ground*- "this big".
By the time we graduate, most of us are ready to get out of this town. We're ready to spread our wings, and some have plans to never return. A few weeks or months after we're gone, we start to miss it. Cut Bank will be home for most of us for the rest of our lives. Some may never live there again, but I'd be willing to bet it'll give them a sense home for as long as they live. The community of Cut Bank has a way of imprinting itself on your heart, and never going away. I'm so thankful for this place and all of the people who make it home.
