Where I Grew Up

Scenes from near where I grew up.  The beauty of the farmland always touches me.  (That little hand is my niece.  She started taking pictures, and it made me look outside the window and see a little differently.)

Where I grew up
People know your family
Friendships go back generations
And if you're stranded along the road, a stranger will help

There are places
Where you can't hear the highway
Only the cows, the birds
And the coyotes

Jobs are scarce
The economy suffers
Change is suspect
And people fly away

But I miss where I grew up because
People go to high school ball games
The county fair and visitations*
Standing in long lines to witness the life, the loss


*I've realized since I've moved away from the Midwest that a "visitation" is not a universal experience.  A visitation happens when someone dies.  It's held at the funeral home, and people come to pay their respects and visit with family and friends.  It's typically held a day or two before the funeral (which tends to be a smaller, more intimate affair).