the selling of America

The loss of a lifestyle and heritage. I hear about it all the time on the news and in various articles. These are not lost, they are sold ! Sold for various reasons but sold none the less.

Take the plight of the American farmer. Willie Nelson has been trying for years now to help the farmers retain their farms. It is a noble cause and one I support but I know in the end it is a futile attempt. In the end the family farm will lose out to the large commercial operations. Unless that farmer is fortunate enough to grow some specialty crop,he just can't make it. Expenses are too high for the profit to be made.

You hear about the lose of small town America. Once the wealthy " discover " your area and begin to move in, it soon disappears. Homes will be sold to the highest bidder,property that has been in the family for generations gets sold to build that mall and so it goes. Until it is gone and then we bemoan our lost hertiage. I expect it has always been so.

Most people don't like changes. At least, not major ones. We get settled in our ways. We get comfortable. When you are younger you quickly embrace new things,only to discover what a cruel mistress change can be. You have a child and want to take him/her fishing but the fishing hole is gone now. On private property and you are not allowed. The campground is a parking lot for K-mart now. Things of the past changed forever.

Choices made and choices regretted. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. That applies only if you are the one holding the bird. There are many reasons we may decide to sell. Economics being what they are. Just having the property does not ensure financial stability. The solution to your immediate needs can have a lasting impact. And there is the question of selfishness. It is selfish of me to sell the family home for my own profit ? Is that fair to succeeding generations ? It is a complex issue.

All of that I think is a personal choice. You have to do what your heart tells you is right. You must survive. Should you feel obligated to pass down property to your offspring ? Do you owe them anything but your love and support ? These are the questions we must ponder.

As for me I  never had to make the choice. Being a Navy man I was always quite transient. After I retired and moved to Greensboro I thought this was just another stop over. Just a place to live. The town is growing on me. Real estate being what it is now, I have no plans to buy. At my age it wouldn't be a wise choice I'm thinking. Better to continue to rent and leave the maintenance and repair issues to the landlord. There are not many restrictions placed upon me so I'll leave it alone.

Had I inherited the family home would I have sold it ? Hard to say. The real estate prices in my hometown have gone up at least twenty times in value. That much cash being offered would have been a sore temptation. Could do an awful lot with that much cash.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The grass does look greener on the other side of the fence but there is a reason for that. It is being fertilized and we all know what makes the best fertilizer. Don't step in it ! Or at the very least be very careful where you step.
All things change and everything material is for sale. America as we know it is being sold a piece at a time. No matter the reason for the sale. Lately we have been giving it away,but that is another issue.