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| Leaving Maine...Summer still |
I headed out to Illinois for a very long trip, medical tests for a daughter I was greatly concerned for, all is well. Traveling through New Hampshire to check on the son who literally fell off the trail down a ridge, broke some toes, got back on and then fell again in the Wildcats; not to terribly far from ending his long hike. He'll have to wait until next year and tackle it again. All in all, my young man hiked hundreds of miles and I am quite proud of him. Hikers and I mean the majority of them, are truly decent and good people. They look out for one another, feed one another, keep each other dry in the rain and laughing in the storms. There's a bearded, hairy bunch of humanitarians out there and by gosh, I'm awful thankful my kid had the gumption to go out amongst them and live like that.
I drove through New Jersey and Conneticut on a GPS snafu- never again, no sir not even on a million dollar bet. How anyone can do that, day in, day out is beyond me- traffic and intolerance. Seemed like such disregard for one another and even themselves, passing blindly- I know that there are many individuals among them, good people. But I can tell you, I only met a few- one genuinely kind construction worker trying to get me around traffic through country directions. Another really funny yet serious guy at a gas station who saw my pick ax in my door as I was exiting the truck.
"Don't let them see you with that!"
"Who?!"
"The cameras."
I looked around, didn't see any of those...
"It's illegal to defend yourself in New Jersey."
"Get out of here!"
"I'm serious, don't get caught with that thing- they could arrest you."
I am back to uncivilization and thanking my lucky stars. Between being civilized and treating other people like they just don't matter,treating children like they are to be disrespected in the most sad and ugly ways, no thank you. I'd just as soon be uncivilized and take my chances with a Black Bear and her cub, four feet of snow and storms that raise the rain right up through the rafters. I'd rather be able to see the stars at night and not be considered weird because I mention "did anyone notice the harvest moon, isn't it lovely?" at a lonely old rest area in the middle of the night. People have just stared at me, like I'm from some other planet- all because I dare smile at them or say hello. It's a grave concern when folks look at you like your Jack The Ripper just because you wished them well, they're more open to rudeness and dishonesty- apparently, they do trust that kind of behavior.
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| Autumn invades Maine |
Life is good. Sometimes maybe only in seconds, and sometimes those seconds aren't even consecutive- but the sun came up this morning and I waited on it. Lovely. It only lasted a few seconds, but man oh man it restored a goodness in me.
There's clouds out there right now waiting for me to notice them. There's fat yellow butterball hens cleaning up some of the remnants in the garden, I like to hear them talk. And they treat their little ones well I notice, so I'll make sure to keep their water up and their grain bin full so they'll keep that good business up.
And I'll keep here, a good word. For you. Hope it helps.
Take care-
8 comments:
Welcome back! And I love the new blog layout. It's gorgeous.
This is probably just my limited experience and what not, but I've found folks on the East Coast to be less than friendly overall. Perhaps that's just a weird fluke I've experienced. Rural climes, the Midwest and the South--friendliest people around. But cities and the East particularly? Not so much. Weird.
We left the big city to take up family life in rural small town America. Never regreted that choice either. Of course not all those urban folks are rude and crude. :)
I used to wonder if it was just me on the East versus Midwest struggle...and it was. In my experience, they are so much more reserved, trust but verify kind of outlook. For two years I wondered and have been rewarded with some of the deepest, most sincere kindness I've ever experienced. (Though city living ain't for me...more power to those who get by there.)
And thank you...you're right TB, just takes a bit to get to know them.)
Since I left California for Oregon, I've gotten used to people being more friendly and polite. Now, when I have to drive in the Bay Area, I feel like a lemming in a tornado. (I tend to do things like use my turn signal before changing lanes. The natives think me strange.)
dear darlin, sooooo satisfying to click on this place and find you merrily here, dosing out goodness, and civility and motherhenning all along. you will always be one of my heroes. for your goodness, in large measure. xoxox
It may be raining outside, dreary- but because I decided to get on this computer before beginning a day of canning after a rousing,too, too fun evening, blueberry wine included...I get greeted by the kind words of old and new friends.
Good day all around. Love that you think motherhenning applies to me, gigantic compliment!
Yes to Merry, The Golden Rule applies in driving as well as living. I think research might show that we are in the minority there,in backwoods or busy byways.
Maybe it's a city thang? My rural Midwestern roots (with Southern sensibilities, of course) force me to be polite to strangers. In LA? Eh, folks aren't so kind. But in Long Beach (melts right into LA) where I currently live, it's just like being back home. Working class, kind folks. But my city doesn't feel quite as "urban" as other locales--and I live right in its urban hub. Don't know how to explain it. Yet I hate stereotypes based on location, so I probably just need to shut up.
NEVER!!!
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