As I was scrubbing the kitchen floor today (surprisingly tiring for being only 9 1/2 weeks pregnant!), I was thinking about the difference from where I came from to where I am, geographically speaking. Not only are the terrain, atmosphere, weather patterns, animals, houses, architecture, history, and convenience different, but the people are very different. I am beginning to understand why people in small rural towns think they are so tough...they are!
In a huge city where everything and anything you want is just a short walk or car ride away, and the conveniences of life is utterly ridiculous, it truly is a spoiled society. Your circle of friends is as big as you want it to be and can be ever changing if someone ticks you off or does wrong to you or your child, or your spouse, other friends, dog, etc. Your life is what you want it to be. You live in little world you make around you.
In this small town, you make someone mad...too bad. You will see them and every relative they have living at some point in time and you better believe they know what is going on. If you fall into hard times, nobody is going to just give you back your life, although they will do everything in their power to help you. If you are mad at someone, you better get over it quick. There aren't many friends to choose from, you have to make the most of what you are given. If a teacher at the school upsets you or isn't treating your kid "fairly", get over it. It is the only teacher in that grade of that subject and chances are, you know someone who is related to them.
I have really had it easy growing up. But I really haven't learned a lot. All my life, if I didn't like something, I moved on. If someone made me mad, I un-friended them (the conventional way, not the Facebook way). Yes, I spent my life growing up in a metropolitan area that consisted of 1.5 million people and growing. And, because of a calling form God, I live in a town of just over 2 thousand, most of which are somehow related to each other, not excluding myself, since this where my mom grew up.
My mom was the ONLY one of her family of 9 that moved out of state. Okay, out of county...out of the town. Nobody moved out. They are all still here. I am pretty sure all of my oldest living relatives live within a 5 mile radius of me. And I don't see too many of them, surprisingly. My cousins, on the other hand, are all spread out; Pittsburgh, Maryland, Somerset, Meyersdale...who knows where else.
Getting back to my point. When I had trouble earlier in life, my parents would bail me out. Which I always greatly appreciated and still do to this day!! It wasn't expected, but it is just what people do out there. The church, even. If someone was in trouble, bam! Car, house to live in, clothes, toys, food...whatever you needed, there it was. I blame the abundance of high paying jobs and concentration of people who had money.
Here, people will still give you the shirt off of their back, but there is something more to it. There aren't people here just waiting to give their money away. In a sense, you need to be a person of character. (Unless of course there is a total catastrophe, then anything you need is right in your hands.) the church, for instance, will help people pay bills, but it needs to be a necessity and they will take a look at where else your money is going to instead of your essentials. Money to you brand new vehicle, no bills paid. Scraping by to make ends meet living meagerly, bills paid. It's a point of view that has really opened my eyes.
I am willing to give anything I can to others, but my family is not exactly in the place to be giving money away until we have our own feet stable. We do what we can for those around us. My husband works with small engines and doesn't charge people for side work. Luckily, he does do work for some very generous people, so, seasonally, we can get caught up (in a sense). I, on the other hand, stay at home with the baby and keep the house. As it is written in the bible, that is my first duty. I was a teacher by trade and one day plan on getting back in the classroom, but working to pay for day care does not make sense to anyone.
My mind is swimming and I could go on a million rabbit trails, but I am trying to stay focused on this topic.
Have a blessed day and if you are reading, please feel free to comment .=)
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