Good to be small

We went to the movie this past weekend at the Ritz. It was the 1956 John Wayne classic “The Searchers.”

These movies are fun to go to and think about how films were made 60 years ago. We had a good time and hope that there will be more classic movies to see at the Ritz in he future.

After the movie was over, we went outside and started visiting with friends and doing a John Wayne impression or two, which is mandatory. We must have joked and laughed for 15 minutes or better with a group of eight.

About 10 yards away was another group of Ritzville folks visiting and laughing. Funny thing is we could have split up and gone over to the other group and not missed a beat.

As we were heading home my wife said, “I just love our little home town! Going to a John Wayne western and visiting with people you really like. I’m glad we came to town tonight.”

I think we take for granted just how great a place this area is. We have so many things to do here, but it is the friends that we have that make it so special.

We’ve been to fundraisers and see just how much love and effort goes into a benefit for someone in need. There are really good people making these things happen.

We are just along for the ride, so to speak, and hope that we can help out with a donation to help make a difference.

Small towns are great if we are able to see the goodness in our neighbors. Not everyone is perfect by any means but that isn’t the point. We have a lot to give and a lot to share.

After church on Sunday we get to visit with more friends.

I’ve been to the big churches and you get the greeting or say good-bye, but it isn’t the same as when someone asks how your week was and they really want to know.

They want to share that camaraderie that you only get with that small town in the background.

I love Friday night football games or basketball games and hanging around talking with fans and parents of players and the players. We get to know each other over decades of going to sporting events.

We’ve watched the parents play and now we see their kids playing carrying on the tradition. Some of us are even old enough to have watched some of the grandparents play the game.

We can read about the big school teams now and then, but we know the local athletes and their ties to the community. We welcome those kids from the surrounding communities and hope their experience is a good one.

We get to know those fans and share in the excitement of victory or the sadness of a tough loss. We try to come together as one and it is much easier when you have that welcoming small town attitude. We have a lot to share and a lot to give.

Getting back to the folks we having fun with the other night, I didn’t know several of these people 10 years ago and now I consider them great friends because we have so much in common and we can have a lot of fun together.

Yes, it is good to be small and we wouldn’t want it any other way!