True patriotism, love of country, begins in the love of a particular place and it's particular people. Just as love of people as an ideal must be walked out in the particulars of life--the particular people you know and come in contact with each day--love of country, I think, begins in the particulars of the place you live. That's why I like this article: It will take hometown heroes to fix broken towns.
When each of us loves the particular place where we live, in the way that Hobbits love the shire, for example, then I will feel good about the future of my country. To paraphrase John the Apostle, if we say that we love our country but have no love for the place we live and its people, then the truth is not in us.
We will be a healthier nation when more of us are putting down roots in a particular place rather than pulling up stakes in search of a better career opportunity somewhere else. That's my two cents.
No comments:
Post a Comment