dirt roads
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy used to give “tests” to determine if one is a redneck. One of those was: You might be a redneck if directions to your home include the phrase, “Turn off the paved road… .“ I remember that one because I, in fact, do live on a dirt road (or as we prefer to say, gravel road).
I even called VDOT one time and told them they were putting down too much gravel which had resulted in our family’s cars experiencing three flat tires in two months time. The response from the superintendent was, “I don’t believe I’ve ever had anybody complain that we were working on the road too much.”
Anyway, I found a column from a newspaper, original source and author unknown, titled “Dirt Roads”. The gist of the article is that a lot of the things wrong with society today can be attributed to the fact that most of our roads are paved. Here is someone’s wisdom regarding dirt roads.
“There’s not a problem in America today—crime, drugs, education—that wouldn’t be remedied if we just had more dirt roads. Dirt roads build character. People who live at the end of a dirt road learn early on that life is a bumpy ride, that it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it’s worth it, if at the end is home and people who love you.
We wouldn’t have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking to school on a dirt road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. There were no drive-by shootings (except occasionally at groundhogs). Our values were better when our roads were worse.
Dirt roads taught patience. Dirt roads were environmentally friendly. You didn’t hop in your car to go get a quart of milk. You walked to the barn for your milk. And what if it rained and the dirt road got washed out? That was the best part. Then you stayed home and had some family time, roasting marshmallows and popping popcorn, secure in the knowledge that there wasn’t really anywhere else you had to be anyway.”
Actually, during this pandemic most of us have had opportunity to stay home and do some of those things that we may not have done for a while. But I must also make the point that not everything about a dirt road is great. For one, you can forget ever having a clean car. It will be either dusty or muddy about 90 percent of the time. But most of life’s experiences provide us with some blessings and some challenges. May we seek to learn from both and thank God for the opportunities that are given to us.
Pastor Wayne
I even called VDOT one time and told them they were putting down too much gravel which had resulted in our family’s cars experiencing three flat tires in two months time. The response from the superintendent was, “I don’t believe I’ve ever had anybody complain that we were working on the road too much.”
Anyway, I found a column from a newspaper, original source and author unknown, titled “Dirt Roads”. The gist of the article is that a lot of the things wrong with society today can be attributed to the fact that most of our roads are paved. Here is someone’s wisdom regarding dirt roads.
“There’s not a problem in America today—crime, drugs, education—that wouldn’t be remedied if we just had more dirt roads. Dirt roads build character. People who live at the end of a dirt road learn early on that life is a bumpy ride, that it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it’s worth it, if at the end is home and people who love you.
We wouldn’t have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking to school on a dirt road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. There were no drive-by shootings (except occasionally at groundhogs). Our values were better when our roads were worse.
Dirt roads taught patience. Dirt roads were environmentally friendly. You didn’t hop in your car to go get a quart of milk. You walked to the barn for your milk. And what if it rained and the dirt road got washed out? That was the best part. Then you stayed home and had some family time, roasting marshmallows and popping popcorn, secure in the knowledge that there wasn’t really anywhere else you had to be anyway.”
Actually, during this pandemic most of us have had opportunity to stay home and do some of those things that we may not have done for a while. But I must also make the point that not everything about a dirt road is great. For one, you can forget ever having a clean car. It will be either dusty or muddy about 90 percent of the time. But most of life’s experiences provide us with some blessings and some challenges. May we seek to learn from both and thank God for the opportunities that are given to us.
Pastor Wayne