"Why do I live where the air hurts my face?"

There’s a meme on social media that makes me laugh while I nod in agreement each time I see it. It’s a sketch of a sad stick person in snow apparel with the caption “The air hurts my face. Why am I living where the air hurts my face?”

Sometimes this photo is alone, but sometimes it is accompanied by a picture of a very large snake or spider or other creature from a part of the country or world that I personally would rather not come face to face with and the caption “Oh right. That’s why I live where the air hurts my face.”

After a week or so of subzero temperatures, this is a legitimate question. Why do some of us choose to live in a place where a few months of the year it can be cold enough for the air to sting any exposed skin it can reach? For some, it may be true that they choose here because of the lower likelihood of an encounter with a spider the size of a dinner plate (or larger), but I’m sure for many of us there are a myriad of reasons.

If you’re like me, it’s being able to experience all four seasons (sometimes even in one day!). Or it could be the beauty of the sun setting over the Iowa corn, the changing color of the leaves each fall, and the hot summer days where getting out on the lake is the perfect way to get cooled off. Or maybe it’s the quality schools, the ample opportunities for enjoying local shopping, or the proximity to family.

Whatever your reason for living here, we encourage you to share that with your friends and loved ones. That’s why we created the Get A Lakes Life campaign and ask you to become a Community Champion. We provide you with resources to start a conversation with those close to your heart to let them know why you love your Lakes Life and why they should live here too.

Personally, I tell my family I love living in the Lakes Region of Northwest Iowa because my values match those of the people who live here, our communities are genuinely kind and supportive, and the views are beautiful no matter the season.

Even if the air sometimes hurts my face.