Small Town

Listen while you read: Small Town

Well, I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities

All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
Provides little opportunity

Educated in a small town
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town
Used to daydream in that small town
Another boring romantic, that's me

But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. doll and brought her to this same small town
Now she's small town just like me
. . . 

~ John Mellencamp

As you are reading this, I am likely back in my small town in New Jersey. No apologies. While there are some things I dislike about my town, it is home to me, and there is much to love. Whenever I leave the palm trees and flat terrain and too-much-traffic of south Florida to return home, I am overcome by the beauty of the landscape, especially in late spring. It is so freaking green!

If I recall the story correctly, it was his record company that convinced John Mellencamp to change his name to "Johnny Cougar" in order to capture more attention (and record sales). He obliged, but came to regret that decision in later years. So he went through a short period being known as "John Cougar Mellencamp" until he dropped the Cougar altogether. Yep, he's small town. With an honesty and courage from which Hollywood and the like could learn a thing or two. Scarecrow was released in 1985 when he was still sporting all three names. I wonder how many of us remember when he was Johnny Cougar?

But back to my small town. I wake up to bird song, not traffic. To sunlight, not headlights. I fall asleep to katydids and coyote song, not sirens and car horns. I share my days with black bears, dragonflies, and whitetail deer. My nights are full of rabbits and bats and owls. There is not a building taller than two stories except on Main Street, where the storefronts might soar to three or even four stories. Neighborhoods have names like "Walnut Street" or "Maple Avenue" and there really are those trees on the streets. My evenings are spent on a porch swing watching the sun set. I can breathe in a small town.

So I'm home, for a couple of weeks anyway. There's still a big world out there of which I want to see as much as I can. But I always return to my small town.

No, I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be

Welcome home to me!