Cars of beauty…
If you live in a small town you must be careful about expressing
yourself about another citizen. If it is negative you might be talking to the
person’s cousin.
The smallest town our
family lived in was Valdese, NC in the edge of the South Mountains. Wonderful folk there, salt of the earth as my
daddy would say. The interesting thing
was Dad’s congregation. They were split
Democrat and Republican. I knew nothing of politics. Mom and Dad voted but I
never knew what party. I always guessed it was Democrat.
During our time there,
early 1950s, Eisenhower ran against Adlai Stevenson. These people, friends and brothers and sisters
in Christ actually sat on opposite sides of the church. They wore their
buttons: “I like Ike” and “Stevenson is the Man”. Most cars had bumper stickers.
BUT, but they talked, laughed, joked and always remained friends.
If there were hard feelings I never knew it. Of course when dad took the church
he knew of the political ‘climate.’ Two of his opening statements at every
church were:
“Don’t ask me if I have
a party, when I am with you I am whatever you are.” And he always said, “If you
don’t like me, please don’t tell me, I think everyone loves me.” He was the pastor they needed at that time. I
was a Stevenson man, because one of my best friend’s dad was a democrat.
This entry was keyed by reality tonight here in Belmont, NC. We
just drove about 3 miles. That drive a few years ago would have taken 5
minutes. Due the increase in population
and traffic in our no-longer small town, That 3 miles took about 25 minutes.
We are now a bedroom
for Charlotte, NC, with more building daily. Growth is normal. But now the
complexion has changed and neighbors have no connection with each other. The earlier
years of cotton mill villages has changed. No longer does everyone know
everyone and being kin to many or at
least knew someone who is kin to their neighbor.
No longer are homes left unlocked day and night or keys left in the
cars. That is one part of progress I do
not like. I am sure most generations have felt the same about progress; as you
age you get out of touch with much of life. We take it as it comes and hope one
day ‘I fit in again.’ (Maybe
in an old folk’s home.)
Nite Shipslog
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8 comments:
You surprised me as Anna Mae and I went over town today as I needed to be back for checkup at Hospital, we were commenting that Carthage and West Carthage are separated by the Black River, there was a time when you pulled up off a side street and just went, now you have to wait and sometimes wait for a chance to make a left or right turn due to "Traffic", we have no idea where it all came from over the past 30 years we have lived here !
Take Care, still warm, up to 38 degrees but still lots of Snow ! Gary an Anna Mae
It is true everybody is related or knows someone who is. I've had many occasions to find that out. Like your town, the areas around here have become part of the suburbs of Cleavend, the largest city close to us. There are new housing developments where farmers fields used to be. Commuting doesn't seem to bother these folks at all. We used to work where we lived, but not any more. But life is all about change and just about the time we get used to it, it changes again. Count on it !
There are wonderful memories of the "good old days", life was less complicated in many ways. On the flip side, the "progress" in technology, medicine etc is amazing, happy I live in a town where traffic is intolerable only when we have "snowbirds", haha! Have a great weekend y'all!!!
I like living in a small town, sad to say but I don't know my neighbors round here. The older ones have passed on and newer ones moved in. I don't believe things will ever be like It was when we were younger. I pray for my younger generations. You and Sherry take care. Jean
Loving those quotes by your daddy! Wouldn't it be lovely if folks were to follow those philosophies still? My hometown was less than 13k, and I'm sure much 'goings on' were widespread … but I was too young and naïve to notice. Coosada/Millbrook is a bedroom community for Montgomery; and so much nicer than Phoenix. Like Goldilocks might say, it's "just right."
traffic is always bothersome, especially in a small town.
When I lived in Belmont, It was a ghost town. Not much going on. It has really grown in business, and residential. Me and Nick would love to find a old small house near the town of Belmont. Once you could buy cheap there. Now the prices are out of sight. We will just keep looking. I mean, Its 20 minutes closer to the beach than we are now. haha.
Happy Weekend
Lisa
Its almost a shame when a small town becomes a bedroom community. Saw that happen to one of the towns in Southern California that was a horse and buggy type of town. Was gone for about 5 years and when we went through it, it had so many houses and new businesses built that it lost its charm. But people want affordable housing and are sometimes willing to drive a bit to be able to get something they can pay for.
betty
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