25 Sep From the Editor: Learned Wisdom

Big Sky Journal is fortunate to work with many students of the West. These writers and photographers study the land and people of the region, seeking to understand their subjects intimately. As fall promenades gracefully through the trees, they notice the subtleties of the sun’s shifting angle, they hear the wind’s cool whisper, they sense a drawing inward as people prepare for whatever kind of winter is to come. These observations lead to knowledge and wisdom that informs the ways we live in the Northern Rockies. By studying, we come to learn important truths.

Learned wisdom is more than the head knowledge acquired through academics. It’s a knowing in the heart — a full-body experience with knowledge that changes us. Wisdom can be sought but is only achieved through humility. For students willing to ponder and question, lessons lead to learning that pulls on the heart.

In this edition, stories speak in serendipitous harmony about the truths of our region, told by people who have studied the characters, plot, and setting. We see a cross-section of people living in the Northern Rockies who have done their small part that makes up the bigger whole. Their stories reveal ways we can choose to live in Big Sky Country while celebrating and honoring the characteristics that make the region great.

To readers encountering these tales, may you enjoy the read and may it inspire life.