A dangerous volcano can teach us something about national solidarity

Mount St. Helens, in the foreground, is shown with with Mt. Rainier in the background in this Sept. 27, 2004, file photo. The US Geological Survey ranks Mount Rainier as the third most dangerous volcano in the nation, after Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island and St. Helens, both of which are currently active. Other studies call Rainier the most dangerous volcano in the world, not just for its explosive potential, but because of the 3 million people who live in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area. (AP)

We went west for vacation this year, to Washington State. COVID-19 robbed us of travel for so long that it was possible to lose the sense of gratitude for this vast, gorgeous country.

People from the East Coast assume you’re speaking of Puerto Rico when you mention the San Juan Islands, but those from the Pacific Northwest know them as perfect vacation spots. In addition to sunny, dry days and crisp, cool nights, the islands boast celebrities that attract the starstruck. I speak of the pods of orcas that pass through the channel between the United States and Canada.