Notes from Alex

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  • The Story Begins: Announcing the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation

    A New Chapter Begins: Introducing the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation Preserving Our Past. Inspiring Our Future. There are moments in life when an idea begins as nothing more than a quiet conversation, a hope shared among friends, or a dream that simply refuses to go away. Today, I’m excited to begin sharing one of those dreams.…

  • Whatever Happened to Common Courtesy?

    A simple “thank you” may be one of the most powerful gifts we can give. There is a question that has been on my mind lately, and it isn’t meant to throw shade at anyone. It’s simply an honest question. Whatever happened to common courtesy? Recently, I spent time at a large medical facility. Standing…

  • God Didn’t Let Me Break

    Twenty years with A-Fib, one life-changing procedure, and countless reminders that every heartbeat is a gift. There are moments in life when a person realizes just how fragile the human body really is. For Alex, this journey has been unfolding for more than twenty years. It all began with something as ordinary as a can…

  • Healing has it’s own Timeline

    Allow the Healing to Run Its Course There is a lesson that seems to find Alex over and over again. Healing has never been something that can be rushed. After his recent heart surgery, he found himself wrestling with the same old temptation. His mind was already looking ahead—to the work waiting to be done,…

  • A Journey Through the Storm: The Surgery That Marked a New Chapter

    A Story of Faith, Gratitude, Healing, and the Gift of Another Heartbeat. For Notes from Alex There are moments in life that quietly divide time into two parts: before and after. For Alexander Atkinson Jr., one of those moments began with something as ordinary as opening a can of sardines. Years ago, while living on…

  • The Night Before

    Finding Peace in Prayer When the Road Ahead Is Unknown There are moments in life when the world grows strangely quiet. Not because the noise around us has disappeared, but because our thoughts have become louder than everything else. The night before was one of those moments. Sleep refused to come easily. The hours seemed…

  • Where the Silence Teaches

    Lessons on responsibility, faith, and finding yourself above the skies of Alaska. There are some lessons in life that aren’t learned from books or classrooms. They don’t arrive all at once, either. Instead, they unfold over years—through experience, quiet moments, unexpected challenges, and conversations that stay with you long after the words have been spoken.…

  • A Week in the Hospital, A Lifetime of Gratitude

    Those Who Answer the Call Today, let’s take a moment to honor the men and women who choose a life of service. We often think first of those who wear our nation’s uniform, standing watch while the rest of us sleep. They miss birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and family gatherings. They spend long hours, long days,…

  • A Nation’s Story, A Small Village’s Voice

    Celebrating America’s 250th birthday from Metlakatla, where history, heritage, faith, and community remind us that every corner of this nation has a story worth telling. There is something deeply meaningful about celebrating America’s 250th birthday from Metlakatla, Alaska. Growing up here in the 1960s and 1970s, life was different than it is today. We didn’t…

  • The Ministry of Simply Being There

    A quiet reflection on grace, friendship, and meeting people where they are. There are people who make a lasting impact on our lives not because they had all the answers, but because they simply showed up. They listened. They cared. They stayed. Alex has spent a great deal of time reflecting on the people who…