What Growing Up in a Town of 800 Taught Me About America
In Case You're Curious #1
Growing up in a town with just 800 people in it has forever shaped my idea of America. When I sometimes share what my life was like as a child with people I meet along the way, they say it sounds like a movie.
And when I look back, I understand why they would say that.
When I reminisce about the small town I used to call home, I remember the peace and quiet at night, and the children playing at the local park nearby during the day. I remember the cornfields that went on for miles, and the stars that made me feel so small every time I looked upon them. Every Halloween, the town would gather at the local park for free hot chocolate and hotdogs, and every Christmas, they would hang these cute lights in the “downtown” area that had a few local businesses and a small café.
Don’t even get me started on how magical I thought 4th of Julys were. Everyone in town gathered, and we always had delicious barbecue before watching the show.
Most people knew each other, and there was a lovely sense of community and pride. I think back to those small-town gatherings where we shared food under blue skies for many reasons, and I realize that this is the “American dream.”
There are many other things that I can reminisce about regarding how I grew up, but I can say it took me growing up and moving away from my small town to actually appreciate how beautiful and rare my life truly was.
Where many might think of today as just another long weekend, I sit here and am filled with gratitude for America and the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms I get to take part in—for the peaceful existence little ol’ me gets to live because someone I don’t know was brave enough to believe in serving others with their life.
In the Book of John, Jesus says: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." – John 15:13
What a fitting verse for today.
Even though I’m not at my elementary school gymnasium to watch the Memorial Day service that they always put together—where they honor the fallen soldiers and play the beautiful trumpet sound—I am taking time today to honor the heroes by living in gratitude for what I’ve been blessed with.
What better way to honor the lives of those we’ve lost than by enjoying the fruit of their labor?
Welcome to “In Case You’re Curious”
This is the first article of many in my “In Case You’re Curious” column of the YHC Blog. I have a deep interest in culture, politics, and history, so I will be sharing things that have an impact on the home in case you’re curious like me.
