Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Graveyard
Ever fall in love with a place? Ever feel an uncontrollable affection for an area. Feel as though you belong there. Strive to get there any chance you could and love the fleeting moments you could squeeze in there? Fear the end of the time you spent locked away in this personal oasis?Ever grow older, and as you became more experienced see the flaws in that place?I recently had a heart wrenching break-up with me version of this place. When I was a kid, I loved to go to Manning, Halbur, and Carol, Iowa. Whenever I was away, I felt like I was out of place. As I grew older, I only loved it more.Last week that changed.For the first time in my life, I saw that area for what it truly was, disheveled, neglected, depleted, crippled, and dying. Everything is old. All the buildings are dull, rusted, and lifeless. All the peoples houses resemble museums. All the people remind me of high school athletes praying for a return to past glories.It's the remnants of a great civilization. All the people speak of the good old days when small town life was truly wholesome. Walking amongst the farms is like walking through a cemetery. The rusted tractors resemble tombstones that have been grown over and worn away by the elements and the lifestyle they represented has experienced a similar fate, but the economy is performing the coup-de-grace.Some of the people are transformed from simple and god fearing to hypocritical and drug addled.The older people live in houses that are obviously left-overs from the 70's. All the old relics of the era dot the house. All you can do is ask questions and watch as a spark returns to their eyes about how they got it.They struggle valiantly to give their kids the small town life they had, but it's long gone.School enrollment shrinks each year, more school consolidate, and more drop out.It's unbearable to think that I used to love this place, now I hate going to the area, it brings a flood of painful emotions. Despair for their situation, and guilt for my slightly better one. It shouldn't be painful to visit my family, but it is."In 2004, 70% of Manning Residents were below child-baring age."A little perspective for you.
posted by Dan # 1:37 AM 0 comments
Graveyard
Ever fall in love with a place? Ever feel an uncontrollable affection for an area. Feel as though you belong there. Strive to get there any chance you could and love the fleeting moments you could squeeze in there? Fear the end of the time you spent locked away in this personal oasis?Ever grow older, and as you became more experienced see the flaws in that place?I recently had a heart wrenching break-up with me version of this place. When I was a kid, I loved to go to Manning, Halbur, and Carol, Iowa. Whenever I was away, I felt like I was out of place. As I grew older, I only loved it more.Last week that changed.For the first time in my life, I saw that area for what it truly was, disheveled, neglected, depleted, crippled, and dying. Everything is old. All the buildings are dull, rusted, and lifeless. All the peoples houses resemble museums. All the people remind me of high school athletes praying for a return to past glories.It's the remnants of a great civilization. All the people speak of the good old days when small town life was truly wholesome. Walking amongst the farms is like walking through a cemetery. The rusted tractors resemble tombstones that have been grown over and worn away by the elements and the lifestyle they represented has experienced a similar fate, but the economy is performing the coup-de-grace.Some of the people are transformed from simple and god fearing to hypocritical and drug addled.The older people live in houses that are obviously left-overs from the 70's. All the old relics of the era dot the house. All you can do is ask questions and watch as a spark returns to their eyes about how they got it.They struggle valiantly to give their kids the small town life they had, but it's long gone.School enrollment shrinks each year, more school consolidate, and more drop out.It's unbearable to think that I used to love this place, now I hate going to the area, it brings a flood of painful emotions. Despair for their situation, and guilt for my slightly better one. It shouldn't be painful to visit my family, but it is."In 2004, 70% of Manning Residents were below child-baring age."A little perspective for you.
posted by Dan # 1:37 AM 0 comments
posted by Dan at
3:16 PM
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