If you know me - you know this fact - I WAS BORN IN A SMALL TOWN!!!
I believe there were less than 300 people in Olivet, IL when I arrived at the age of 4 with my Mom, a new Stepdad and various step and half siblings, with more to arrive . . .
The Carter Clan: r & back)Mom; Lisa; Joe; Janetta; Janice; Daddy Jim; middle) Me; bottom row: Johnnie; Troy; Susan
If I had to choose an anthem for my teen years - it would be this song. So many of the lines screamed out from my soul . . . there were a few lines that I 'wished' were true . . . here are some random thoughts and memories which bubble up every time I hear John crooning . . .
Lyrics are copyrighted by Mellencamp www.johnmellencamp.com
"Small Town"
Written by John Mellencamp
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
My job is so small town my first job was at Burger Chef, Danville, IL
Provides little opportunity perhaps one of the reasons I ran away at 18?
Image of a similar Burger Chef from the '70's
Educated in a small town attended Pine Crest Elementary (Georgetown), First Baptist Christian School (Danville), Hope Christian School (Danville); but where I really learned the MOST and glimpsed the wider world was in the boundless walls and bookshelves of the Carnegie Library just down Route 1 in Ridge Farm, IL.
But I've seen it all in a small town
Notre Dame de La Salette Boys Academy - across the highway from my Mom's house, Olivet/Georgetown, IL
Used to daydream in that small town reading about worlds far away
Another boring romantic that's me how many Barbara Cartland's can one girl read?? . . . then my brother's threw one of those paperbacks out the back window of the Olive Green/Panel Country Squire Station Wagon on vacation . . . "Bye, Bye Bawbwa Cawtlan!"
No I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
Oh that's probably where they'll bury me well, I will be cremated and submerged in Copper Canyon, along the Colorado River, near Lake Havasu . . . but you get the idea. I love to visit the graveyards where my Grandpa and step-dad lay . . . those graveyards are some of the places where my heart has been completely broken, and yet I felt close to those of us left behind.
Torpedo as Mailbox? - Olivet, IL 2009
My daughter Lauren, age 15, at Forest Glen Park, Georgetown IL, May 2009
Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town what I loved were the people in the church and the hymn worship services. My favorite hymn is "It Is Well With My Soul" . . . my Daddy Jim's funeral was in this very auditorium which occurred just before the interior was burned in a fire . . . from ages 4 to 18, I attended with my family and we filled an entire pew . . .
I believe there were less than 300 people in Olivet, IL when I arrived at the age of 4 with my Mom, a new Stepdad and various step and half siblings, with more to arrive . . .
The Carter Clan: r & back)Mom; Lisa; Joe; Janetta; Janice; Daddy Jim; middle) Me; bottom row: Johnnie; Troy; SusanIf I had to choose an anthem for my teen years - it would be this song. So many of the lines screamed out from my soul . . . there were a few lines that I 'wished' were true . . . here are some random thoughts and memories which bubble up every time I hear John crooning . . .
Lyrics are copyrighted by Mellencamp www.johnmellencamp.com
"Small Town"
Written by John Mellencamp
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 parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town my first job was at Burger Chef, Danville, IL
Provides little opportunity perhaps one of the reasons I ran away at 18?
Image of a similar Burger Chef from the '70'sEducated in a small town attended Pine Crest Elementary (Georgetown), First Baptist Christian School (Danville), Hope Christian School (Danville); but where I really learned the MOST and glimpsed the wider world was in the boundless walls and bookshelves of the Carnegie Library just down Route 1 in Ridge Farm, IL.
But I've seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an L.A. doll this would be married a Jersey boy and brought him to this small town
now my kids are small town, just like me
Married an L.A. doll this would be married a Jersey boy and brought him to this small town
now my kids are small town, just like me
Notre Dame de La Salette Boys Academy - across the highway from my Mom's house, Olivet/Georgetown, ILUsed to daydream in that small town reading about worlds far away
Another boring romantic that's me how many Barbara Cartland's can one girl read?? . . . then my brother's threw one of those paperbacks out the back window of the Olive Green/Panel Country Squire Station Wagon on vacation . . . "Bye, Bye Bawbwa Cawtlan!"
No I cannot forget from where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me from the Sunday gatherings at Grandpa's farm . . . to the church families . . . and the immediate family of siblings and nieces and nephews . . .
Yeah I can be myself here in this small town well, I didn't feel I could be myself
And people let me be just what I want to be and I always felt I was expected to conform to Fundamental Baptist rules - I couldn't be what I wanted to be - but I figured that out later on . . .
Got nothing against a big town I feel just as comfortable in NYC, in fact!
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
Oh that's probably where they'll bury me well, I will be cremated and submerged in Copper Canyon, along the Colorado River, near Lake Havasu . . . but you get the idea. I love to visit the graveyards where my Grandpa and step-dad lay . . . those graveyards are some of the places where my heart has been completely broken, and yet I felt close to those of us left behind.
Torpedo as Mailbox? - Olivet, IL 2009 My daughter Lauren, age 15, at Forest Glen Park, Georgetown IL, May 2009Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town what I loved were the people in the church and the hymn worship services. My favorite hymn is "It Is Well With My Soul" . . . my Daddy Jim's funeral was in this very auditorium which occurred just before the interior was burned in a fire . . . from ages 4 to 18, I attended with my family and we filled an entire pew . . .