The Old Guard
My parents have lived in Bedford, VA for almost 30 years. We moved there just as I was entering middle school and my maternal grandmother moved in with us. My dad did a lot of renovation work to the house to accommodate her needs as well as the rest of our family. Bedford was an ideal location because my mom worked in Lynchburg and my dad worked in Salem. The street they live on is in a quiet neighborhood where I spent many afternoons riding my bike from one street to another.
It didn't take long for my family to get to know every neighbor on the street. For years folks held summer picnics or fall stews in their yards. A lot of our neighbors in those days were retired with grown children.
Of the 8 to 10 houses on the street though, I now know only two other families that remain from my youth. The rest have passed away or moved elsewhere. Some homes have changed hands multiple times. It's funny to me to pull into the driveway and think, "wow that place looks different, why did they cut all those trees?" Or wave to a stranger who now lives next door. It's a bit of an odd feeling to think of my parents as "the old guard". I miss Winnie, who used to hem my pants and her husband Earl who helped me move to college. I miss Tom sitting out by his garage after mowing the neighbors' lawns and his wife Dolores, who always had a crazy story to tell.
I think most of us have those types of memories from the places we grew up. And it is really special that for some of you, that place is still your home. I love hearing the stories of your childhood among these mountains and fields. I can imagine it might be hard to see things change over time.
I'm told that Saturday's Hot Dog Days in Brownsburg was the most well attended to date! It was a gorgeous day and having everything set up in the shaded lawn behind the post office was lovely. I saw folks who have lived in Brownsburg their whole lives sitting next to people who literally moved in the day before. I also heard numerous people look around with a wistful voice, "I hardly know any of these people."
Well now, how do we reconcile that? I believe that it is a testament to those who have lived in this area for a long time, those with generations being raised here, that new people ARE moving here! If not for the ways in which you, your parents, and your grandparents created community and a successful life, all of these beautiful old homes and business would become empty and dilapidated because the next generation would not recognize its value.
So, I am going to encourage all of us to keep finding ways to meet our new neighbors and welcome them. Don't wait for them to come to you. I can tell you with all confidence that some of those "new folks" you don't know are already committed to maintaining the integrity of this area's long history and excited to serve alongside you. They need to know you, hear your stories, and feel like they can put down roots here in this special place. It's up to you to greet them, welcome them, invite them. After all, what if no one came back to New Providence because they didn't know the new preacher a few years ago? Something to think about.