Going Home...that would be for me the Community of Mershon, Georgia, Pierce county- "southeast Georgia."
It is first of all one of those places too small to be called a town-perhaps just a Crossroads-but stretched out over acres & miles. The people make it Community.
More than anything else Mershon/southeast Georgia is [as has been said before] an attitude, a state of mind. Going home brings a sudden gasp as you recognize that little place alongside the road..it's still there! Funny how you can spot a turn in the road that still looks familiar in spite of time and heartbreaking changes. It is equally emotional and shocking to suddenly arrive at a once familiar landmark and now there's a new landmark..bearing no resemblance to what was...fifty plus years ago...oh no the change is more like a century has passed. How could it be? Didn't they know we would all be back one day expecting to snuggle up in the arms of this place that nurtured us, fed us, entertained and educated us during a time now only recognized in sepia prints of scenes captured of special events, moments & dear, dear people who with very few exceptions have been gone for a while now. The teachers, pastors, business owners, farmers, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents and Grandparents..we knew they would not always be there, but I suppose we actually thought the homes, farmhouses, gas stations, school buildings, tobacco barns, sycamore trees would all wait for us to return.
So many of us have lived far away from what we now call our past, our history, our roots. I remember when my own family lived in the state of Kentucky and Indiana in the 1970's and I longed to go home. I had recurring dreams of making that trip to Mershon, Georgia. In my dream I traveled down that main highway that leads from Mershon to Alma and as I would approach once familiar homes, farms, landmarks there would be changes. Some could not be found [that's the way it is now] I cannot describe the feelings but I still remember them.
In reality when I have actually made that trip and what I remember and dreamed of basically does not exist.. It is not there anymore but we can all carry the memories and the sepia photos within our hearts and minds from now on.
[ I am writing this for all my Mobley cousins, family members & PHS class of 59 alumni ] It would be wonderul if some of you would add your random rambling thoughts ..you know, while we still CAN REMEMBER..just click on COMMENTS and add your own
You captured my thoughts about "going home" perfectly. I go back to that neck of the woods every 10 or 15 years "just because." Like you, some things I remember, and some things I remember I can't find! I remember when Ray and I first saw the tractor shed at our childhood home had fallen. Now the old wooden farm house I spent 18 years in is no longer there. The friends of my childhood I will never forget. The ones on my "3 mile dirt road block" are etched in my heart and mind forever. We spent many a Sunday afternoon playing touch football, baseball and making divinity candy. We had great peanut boils and carport dances at the Todd house. Mrs. Louise raised about 20 of us kids over the years. I am so proud Mary Ann became my sister-in-law. Sandra Kicklighter Henderson
ReplyDeleteSandra I am so sorry to be so slow responding to our comment...as you perhaps observed I am not keeping this blog up regularly at all but i truly cherish every comment b/c it means someone found me and took the time to read and then leave a note. I wish I could get some of my cousins to contribute some of their own stories of these times for this blog but they appear to think they cannot...not true all our stories are valid and will add a different view and flavor to the remembrances..It was such a special time as we look back it made us the adults, parents and grandparents and indeed U.S citizens we are now in such a Changed world..some good but much very sad.
ReplyDeleteNow I know where to connect w you on fb but I would love for you to sign on as a follower for my blog [s] and leave bits of yourself and your own stories.