Today was a lot of research, which satisfied the academic in me so much. I got to spend time reading, taking notes, cross-referencing, and thinking about how this information will impact my story. There were things, of course, that I had already known about the history of my hometown. But there were also some things that I found extremely fascinating about the people that started Worland. What was amazing to me is the lengths at which some people will go to help you out with a project that doesn’t affect them or involve them at all. The women at the library were kind and helpful, in addition to really bending over backwards to help me find what I needed. Also, the women at the Washakie Museum were amazing at finding information for me that they believed would be helpful. I could not be happier with my experience here in Worland.
Another personal realization that I’ve been making has been that I can no longer call Worland, home. Anyone who grew up in one place and move to another will understand this feeling. For a number of years when I first lived in California, I still considered Wyoming my home. Then, there was a time that I was torn because I had lived longer in California than I had in Wyoming, so I couldn’t honestly say where I felt the most ties to. I think that my formative years were spent in Worland, so that had a huge impact on me. However, my entire adult life, as a husband and as a father, have been in California, which has also formed me in a very different way. Now, though, I think I have finally let go of the idea that Worland is my home. It’s just a feeling, but it certainly has influenced how I feel about where my roots lie. I will always be a native of Wyoming, but my home is now in California. Weird!
Harry L. Estes 