#Middlebury
By BRIDGET HENRY
I have always loved and appreciated all that comes with small-town living. I love running into people I know at the store (provided I have make-up on). I love getting texts from friends who spy my little guy walking home from school and report that all is well. I love that morning jogs can include a beep here, a wave there and shouts of “good morning” from the regulars on our route. And most recently, I have fallen in love with the notion that big news in a small town can come in the form of something as simple as a new set of traffic lights.
Although the official reveal had yet to be made as I wrote this column, the garbage bags that have been hanging high above the street clearly indicate that the intersection where Route 64 meets Regan Road and Glenwood Avenue is in the midst of a makeover. There are now new curbs, towering new poles, a freshly-painted crosswalk and what looks to be some very impressive traffic lights ready to guide us through our famous four corners. With this big news, my love for small-town living burns bright once again.
At the same time, I do know that small-town living comes with some very big opinions, and I know that not everyone shares mine. We all have our own thoughts and feelings, not just about the new intersection, but about the schools, the politics, the people. And these days, social media has made it possible for us to share these opinions instantaneously. With this in mind, I return to the thought of those new traffic lights.
How lucky we are to be given assistance as we drive through our little town. Those lights at the intersection tell us when to go, when to stop and when it is time to slow down. We obey the arrows, obediently taking our turn and giving others the right-of-way so as to avoid any kind of crash. We collectively respect the rules of the road and navigate cautiously in hopes of steering clear of serious injury. With some small rules, we avoid big hurt.
Wouldn’t it be nice if conversation came with traffic lights too? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be given the same kind of guidance with our words, our opinions, our social media posts? It turns out that our words travel as quickly as any car but unfortunately cannot be put into reverse. And worse, once put into drive, Facebook posts and social media comments can cause as much damage as any fender bender. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could be as careful with our opinions as we are with our cars? I know Middlebury isn’t perfect but I know we are perfectly lucky to live here. And I am positive we could avoid some hurt with a little less of the negative.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Middlebury. I have big love for our small town. As always, I am happy to be Somewhere in the Middle (of an intersection and some conversation) with you.
Editor’s note: Middlebury resident Bridget Henry’s column first appeared in the December 2018 Bee-Intelligencer. Look for her column every month.
