When we moved into our town we purchased a small lot (what we could afford at the time) among farm lands. There were a few other small lots with homes interspersed among fields and farms. If you traveled just a couple miles west you would be in the very urban city - sidewalks, apartments, etc. In the last few years many of the farmers have sold their land to developers who slap McMansions down every few feet. Our quiet farming community is turning into suburbia. Soccer moms and minivans have replaced the deer and wild turkeys. Big chain stores are replacing mom-and-pop hardware and feed stores that have had to close their doors after generations. (After all, you don’t need a feed and farm store if you aren’t raising or growing anything. )

The real tragedy in suburbia is happening to the next generation. These huge houses are filled with latch key kids who never go outside. I took a walk in the middle of a beautiful Sunday afternoon recently. I observed meticulously manicured lawns and nearly every other house had a swing set in the back. Two things struck me. First, I did not see or hear one child, not one. Second, the grass under the swings was just as beautiful as the grass in every other part of the yard. You know those worn down sandy areas you get under a well used swing? There were none.

When we moved onto our land there was a five acre plot next to us. We tried to buy it but the developer who owned it would not sell it without building first. Eventually he slapped down a McMansion and it did sell. We thought, at least there is only one home on all five acres. A nice two-income family with three children moved in. We never see the family outdoors. The children come home and play video games all afternoon. Now the family has decided they don’t want to pay taxes on five acres so they are subdividing to sell lots for other homes! Why not just buy one of the already small lots? The houses all look just like theirs anyway.

I have always had a strong dislike of suburbia. Urban atmosphere does not bother me like suburban atmosphere. There is a similarity between city people and farm people. Both are trying to survive the best they can. They are real people dealing with the world around them. Both see work to be done and do it. The city is fast and loud while the country is slow and quiet, but the people in both embrace reality.

In suburbia everything seems so plastic. Everyone works hard at keeping up appearances. If there is something the soccer moms want you to know about their family they use a bumper sticker to tell you. They use their minivans as mobile advertisements for how awesome their kids are- honor roll students, baseball champions, best girl scout troop, etc. They want you to know all this about them as you sit behind them at a red light or look across the street to their driveway. They never take the time to sit and talk with you, there is too much to do, too many PTA meetings to attend and meals to …buy. It is much more expedient to wear a sign. Besides, if they had to talk about their kids they might have to admit that little Jimmy had two cavities during his last dental visit or how Jane was caught with a boy under the bleachers.

Oh, how I long for a community in the country and a plot of land large enough to keep the developments our of view. I seem to be drifting away from contentment this morning. I’ll go repent now.