Thanks John Mellencamp

I have always loved this song--it pretty much sums up my life:

Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Prob'ly die in a small town
Oh, those small communities.

All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity.

Educated in a small town
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
Like to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic that's me.

But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an LA doll and brought her to this small town
Now she's small town just like me.

No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be.

Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
And that's good enough for me.

Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's prob'ly where they'll bury me.


I love my small town. An ex-family member used to make so much fun of the family cause of our small town ways. Like going to town and knowing who was running the stores; who was walking towards us; asking about all the current events of life. People in small towns really care.



An older member of this small town passed away this week. His grandson's classmates from HS days all rushed to "grandmas" house to pay their respects. Each one you came into contact with said "hey did you hear so and so's dad passed?" The man was 81, had been married to his sweetheart for 64 years, raised 4 children, and will be sorely missed.



I don't think the passing of a community "pillar" is missed as greatly in a big town--at least not by the community at large. This small town will miss seeing him at his great grandchildren's sporting events; at the school fundraisers; around town just looking for someone to pass the time with.



Grandpa J was raised in a small town, married his HS sweetheart, moved to a big town to operate a business, and then moved back to a small town where his heart was. He died in a small town, and is going to be buried in a small town.




Thanks John Mellencamp for putting into words the life that so many of us hold dear!