My Small Town

  The world has always moved at a faster, more constant pace than the town I live in.  People here seem behind on lots of world issues and of course current concerns throughout the world.  Ask about the lady down the street and you would receive an earful. Ask about the current state of World Economics and you will get nothing more than a blank stare. That is just the way life is in this small town.

  Most people here in my town do not realize how much they are actually effected by the things around them. I have watched recently as people I have known for years have lost their jobs. It is difficult to watch the struggle of someone who has nowhere to turn. Going out of town to find work has become common practice here. Nearby, there is what we call a tourist town. In past years almost anyone has been able to find a job there. Now, workers who have been with companies for years are barely earning enough hours to survive on.

  I have to drive by the Human Resources Office on a daily basis. Each time I do I hate what is happening. So many are going through the door to ask the government for assistance. The sad part is that it is assistance that many of them will not receive. This is the new pace of my small town. It has went from a slow, comfortable crawl to that of a town defeated. Now we move with our shoulders slumped and our feet shuffling as we are terrified of what will happen to us next.

  In closing, I know that all American’s have been struck with the current state of the economy. This was simply an attemp to show others, those that are usually forgotten are also suffering. The next time you have a chance look around at the people you know. Do they look defeated? Do they walk with less confidence than before? If so, then you are seeing what I see each time I look at this town I love.