I have a secret - I used to have a huge crush on John Cougar Mellencamp (I think he just goes by John Mellencamp now). He was a Midwestern, rocker, bad boy and I was a Midwestern, disco, good girl. We didn't have a lot in common - but many of his lyrics made me believe we did!
I recently heard his Small Town song (don't even know the real title!) - he sings of living in a small town and all of it's benefits. It rang truer than ever - especially after the year we've had. I love living in this small town partly because everyone knows everyone and everyone apparently knows your business. That might sound like a bad thing - but it's actually a good thing. People you hardly know will drop off cookies when they hear your husband has cancer and people you know a little will call and ask if "Tuesday is a good day for me to bring by dinner". And people you know well will organize many people to take care of the many tasks that seem monumental when you're in the midst of a crisis.
I've lived in cities, large and small, and in suburbs that were sprawling - and I've always managed to know my fair share of neighbors and others but nothing like this small town. There is truly a sense of family that is incredibly touching. Some of you that live in larger towns or cities or suburbs may also feel the kinship of your neighbors - but trust me on this, it's nothing like a small town.
I believe sites like Facebook and Myspace are attempts to find just what we have in a small town - a sense of community beyond a friendly "Hello" on the street. It's a connection that goes to the heart. Those sites, including Twitter, appear to be more than a 'hello' and more like 'this is what I need from my neighbors/friends' - part of what you get in a small town.
Next time you hear John Mellencamp's tribute to a small town, listen closely to the lyrics and you'll understand better what I am rather weakly trying to convey in this post.
I recently heard his Small Town song (don't even know the real title!) - he sings of living in a small town and all of it's benefits. It rang truer than ever - especially after the year we've had. I love living in this small town partly because everyone knows everyone and everyone apparently knows your business. That might sound like a bad thing - but it's actually a good thing. People you hardly know will drop off cookies when they hear your husband has cancer and people you know a little will call and ask if "Tuesday is a good day for me to bring by dinner". And people you know well will organize many people to take care of the many tasks that seem monumental when you're in the midst of a crisis.
I've lived in cities, large and small, and in suburbs that were sprawling - and I've always managed to know my fair share of neighbors and others but nothing like this small town. There is truly a sense of family that is incredibly touching. Some of you that live in larger towns or cities or suburbs may also feel the kinship of your neighbors - but trust me on this, it's nothing like a small town.
I believe sites like Facebook and Myspace are attempts to find just what we have in a small town - a sense of community beyond a friendly "Hello" on the street. It's a connection that goes to the heart. Those sites, including Twitter, appear to be more than a 'hello' and more like 'this is what I need from my neighbors/friends' - part of what you get in a small town.
Next time you hear John Mellencamp's tribute to a small town, listen closely to the lyrics and you'll understand better what I am rather weakly trying to convey in this post.
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