Most of the past 40 plus years of my life accept for a brief stint in the military has been spent in Indiana. Many of my ancestors have lived here close to the inception of the state in the early 1800’s. Like many lifelong Hoosiers I’ve grown up working on farms, playing basketball, ice skating on ponds and attending a small town country church. Home-made Sunday dinners were a must. Dwindling downtowns have been replaced with sprawling suburbs and Wal-Mart Super Centers. The high income manufacturing jobs are being and have been replaced by lower paying service jobs.
One thing for certain change is inevitable. As a child, like Mellencamp’s “ Pink Houses” I may have felt becoming the President was possible. Now I realize a roadmap and luck have much to say about success. The trials and failures of my parents in Indiana have become all too real. Like so many this dream of success was never realized and my responsibilities and security has kept me here long enough that roads and opportunities to other places have drifted away.
Ironically, I live in a nice home in one of the most beautiful places that Indiana has to offer. I like this place with serenity, beauty and access to so many places all year long. Technology has made this place nestled between Morgan-Monroe and Brown County even more attractive for living and retirement.
I would like to tell my children move away because I couldn’t make things happen here economically like I wanted to. Guess what? I know how dangerous the rest of the world can be without a plan. Sure it would be nice as a young man or woman to travel around the world and live in Hostel’s, but sooner or later reality sets in and we have to find a place to call home. (Have you seen the movie Hostel-not recommended?) I’ve traveled and stayed a little in Australia and Hostel’s are the way to travel for less. In fact it wasn’t near as dangerous as traveling around Texas where it seems everyone carried a gun.
The Indiana roadmap I have followed has lead me to become what Indiana has reserved for so many like me. A fear of the Lord and the granting of advanced education and degrees for jobs that required much less education. Just like many parents I like the idea of pushing our children to do better than me or at least not make the mistakes I made.
Indiana can be a great place to live, however, Economic reality has made life more difficult in many areas of Indiana. For instance according to Forbes Indiana is one of only a handful of states that does not have a top 300 privately held company. To often change is necessary for personal growth and career advancement. For many young men and women leaving Indiana may be a necessity; however the values, good times and the feeling of home will not be forgotten. But my advice to many is Go West Go South Go North.
