We’ll leave the light on for you

October 23rd, 2008 by

I’ve always enjoyed the Motel 6 commercials featuring Tom Bodett and the tagline “We’ll leave the light on for you.”  In many ways that line epitomizes the values of rural communities:  trust, a sense of community, caring, and family.  Those qualities are at the core of what rural residents celebrate. 

But in our zeal to explain to others why we live where we do, we often forget to respect the decisions of people who decide to live elsewhere. 

It’s for that reason that I truly appreciate the following excerpts taken from some writing on Tom Bodett’s website titled “Notes From A Small Town”.

“I’ve lived in small towns my whole life – in the Midwest, in Alaska, and now in New England. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not a more decent person because of rural life, but I act more decently than I probably would if I didn’t have to see these people again.

If the person in front of me at the bank drive-thru is talking on her cell phone instead of moving along, my first impulse might be to honk the horn with a hollered “Come. On!” thrown in for good measure. But small town people don’t honk their horns unless we’re picking up kids at the neighbor’s or shooing a dog out of the road….

Rural people think that city people think they’re stupid. City people think rural people think they’re stupid. They’re both right enough of the time to keep things awkward and make both sides wary….

In this political season there are people trying to take advantage of this real but harmless rivalry between town and country. One side slips with a not-uncommon opinion about the bitter, religious gun nuts in rural America. The other side counters that small towns are the last refuge of all that is right and decent and true about the American character, and if you are not from one you could never understand that. They’re both wrong. I’ve met as many wrong-headed and indecent characters in the country as anywhere else and some of the sweetest and most generous people I know think milk comes from cartons. I’ve met stupid lawyers and genius farmers. Pacifist hunters and environmental militants.

The only real difference between living in a small town or a big one is that it’s harder to avoid people you don’t like out here. It forces you to get to know them. It requires patience sometimes. And you often have to politely listen to views you don’t agree with. It doesn’t make us bitter, but it does make us better. At least better than we would be.”

You can read more of Tom’s writing at his blog.

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