De Javu

I now live and have lived in Greensboro,Maryland for twenty some years.A rural community on the eastern shore of Maryland.
Not all that far physically from our nations capital but in reality a different world. A place of hunters and fisherman and farmers. Just good old boys never doing no harm. I settled here after retiring from the Navy. In a lot of ways it reminded me of my hometown,East Hampton,Long Island,New York. A small town on the eastern end of Long Island. A rural community of fishermen and farmers. Hunters too lived there but they  hunted mostly waterfowl. Not too far from New York City but a whole different world.
Yesterday as I was out I rode past a local deli and ice cream shop. They have erected a brand new electronic sign. One that shows pictures and has the scrolling lettering. Displays time and temperature too.
Well,that set me to thinking. First I saw a lot of farmland being sold and housing developed. You know those ugly developments with all houses in a row and just a few variations in their looks. The big selling point being they are in a cul de sac . Then before you knew it a second stop light went up. Thats' right two stoplights in town. The Exxon station up the roads aways recently put up an electronic sign that displays the gas prices.
And now this !
I need to sound the alarm. Our community is disappearing rapidly. I have seen main street change drastically .
I have seen the types of stores changing. Although a good distance away we are becoming a suburb ! I can't stand it. Quite a number of people now living here commute a good distance to work. Seeing less pick up trucks  and tractors and more suvs'. Access to the river is getting more difficult. Land that is not developed but owned is heavily posted with no trespassing and no hunting signs. You can't hardly take a walk in the woods anymore without someone wanting to sue you or have you arrested.
I see our economy shifting to the tourist trade. Not so much sight seeing as waterfowl hunting , going crabbing and fishing and living the "country life" as long as that includes golf courses and fancy restaurants.
Yes in a lot of ways it reminds me of my home town. In case you haven't heard of the "Hamptons" they were once nice little rural communities. I saw the changes coming to them and I'm seeing it all again. History repeating itself. You can call it progress but at what cost ? A few will make financial gains at the cost of selling a legacy. A few will rise to prominence in the community. Some will publicly speak out against some of these changes while secretly embracing them.
In the end some will make claim to being a native son. I've lived here for over twenty years now and let me tell you this much. I'm an outsider and always will be. You can be accepted as part of the community,maybe even well liked,but you will never be a native. That is as true here as it is in my home town. That part really bugs me. You can take the land but you can't take my roots. My roots here are not very deep but I had two Grand kids born here and I'll probably be planted here. I would like this place to remain a peaceful rural community. I know you can't stop progress but I'll try to slow it down.