Small town America, that is where I live and I love it. We still have a town square, with a statue of John Pelham (Historic Confederate Soldier) in the center. There's a bike shop where the owner leaves a note saying he is next door, just come and get him if you need help. We have an Ace Hardware where they still help you find what you need for your honey do list. A hamburger joint where they still scoop your ice cream for you chocolate shake. Jacksonville has a coffee shop, Java Jolt where they actually serve scratch muffins and cookies (not the wrapped and sealed kind you get from the big guys) to eat with your latte. Our yarn shop is there too, dropped into the nostalga of a small town. A place where you can stop by to knit and catch up on what's happening in the neighborhood. There is a university here, which brings with it youth and culture, and 10,000 college kids in the fall of each year. Yes, our population really doubles each fall. There is a Christmas Parade with homemade floats, antique cars, high school bands, and Santa. And yes we do have fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July. Everyone gathers at the high school football field and we ooh and ahh together at the sparkling explosions of color. When driving down Pelham Road yesterday, I read "Freedom is not Free" on Warren Ace Hardware's sign, This statement has never been more real to our friends at Ace than it is today. Their son Ben, a US Marine, was shot in Afghanistan a few weeks ago and is still recovering. As our whole community prays for his complete recovery we are reminded of our own sons and daughters, husbands, wives, brother, sisters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers who have defended our freedom since the Revolutionary War.
Let me suggest to you today to Google Freedom and Liberty and read quotes from our fore-fathers. Here are a few I found and would like to share.
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
~Benjamin Franklin
The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.
~Thomas Campbell
In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
Give me liberty - or give me death!
~Patrick Henry
On Monday when you are sharing the holiday with your family, take a minute to consider what freedom means and who has sacrificed so that we may live in the greatest nation in the world. Call your sailor, soldier, airman or marine and tell them thanks.
I thought about your blog when I was at Ben's homecoming on the square. I parked a few blocks away and passed a number of local businesses as I walked to the ceremony. Without exception, each business had a sign in the window. Some were neatly typed and others were scrawled out by hand, but they all had the same message --- Closed to welcome Ben home. No further explanations; not even a last name. None needed. Can't say it better than you did, "This is where I live and I love it."
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