Once upon a time, life in rural America

You know it’s presidential campaign season when all the candidates start making pilgrimages to small towns in Iowa and New Hampshire. All the visits to diners, handshakes and brief conversations with local residents, never change the reality.

According to the New York Times, “Rural America never recovered from the Great Recession of 2008.” In many ways, it just hastened what had already been a steady decline. “A decline fueled by an aging population and loss of American manufacturing.” (Source. Eduardo Porter. 2018. “The Hard Truths of Trying to ‘Save’ the Rural Economy,’’ The New York Times (nytimes.com) Young people, families and professionals have all largely fled. They’re searching for better jobs and better dreams than the ones that can come true in one of America’s small towns these days. Despite the pilgrimages by politicians looking for votes and photo ops every four years, solutions that would help address the issues of Rural America remain nonexistent.

“Mayberry” was the fictional small town on the Andy Griffith show. I’m old enough to remember seeing the tail end of episodes, before the afternoon news would come on. In pop culture “Mayberry” has come to symbolize a tranquil and idyllic small town. This cultural symbol has remained strong in the hearts of many.

It happened to me again, two weeks ago. This time as I was speaking at a conference in Burlington. Two different people, at different times, came up to me and asked, “Are you from Olin?” They each had the same eagerness in their eyes. Eagerness to talk about the memories from a bygone era. Today, Olin is a good example of the struggles happening in many small towns in America.

But 30 years ago “Mayberry” actually existed in real life. It was Olin. My parents moved there, to the far outskirts of town in 1991. I had just turned 3. Growing up in the early to mid-90s in Olin meant Little League games on Thursday nights where you could buy homemade ice cream and farm fresh hot dogs. Popcorn made with freshly churned butter. At the end of the games there were fireworks no matter who won. Farm wives sold preserves and homemade apple pies to raise money for the church or American Legion. Even better were the town picnics in the summertime. Those had music and dancing.

Change is neither always good, nor always bad. Just something we’ll always have to learn to deal with. I too left this place and these memories behind. No matter how sweet, a memory will never be a strong enough foundation on which to build a future. I left first to go to college, then one final time when I had regained my strength after a near fatal car accident. I too left to achieve goals and chase aspirations bigger than a small town could hold.

But there will always be a part of me that remains grateful. Grateful for the time I got to spend in a place that no longer exists as I remember it. Today, whether it be at a conference in Burlington or an airport in Minneapolis, someone who has read my bio will always stop me. And ask, with the same eager eyes. “Are you from Olin?” “Yes,” I will always reply with a smile. The reason for our smiles are the same. Happiness at having found another person who remembers Mayberry.

Danielle Brazant is a speaker, author and activist living in Marion. She lived in Olin for more than 20 years.