So there has been a song getting all kinds of attention this week. It is about small towns. I live in a small town, I grew up in the same small town. I am raising my children in the same old farmhouse that I grew up in. I love my small town.

Now, the singer of this song is not from a small town. He was raised in a town of 150,000-plus people. But for some reason, his song seems to be striking a nerve, and I’m not sure I like it. See, to my ear, he seems to be implying that there is something about small towns that makes us superior, not to mention possibly implying harm to those from away.

I understand that there are various ways to interpret this silly little song, and I don’t think you should read too much into any form of pop culture these days; still, it got me thinking.

When you live in a small town, a real small town, you get to know your neighbors, whether you want to or not. And, you may not agree or have a lot in common with your neighbors, but what are you going to do? In a small town, neighbors are like family. You can hate everything they believe in, but, heck, they are your neighbor. You are connected, like it or not.

Yes, we are diverse in our opinions. Sometimes this causes a bit of strife. But this is OK; we learn to live with it. Because we will have to face each other — our kids will play ball together, we will run into each other at Drake’s or Dot’s or the Town Office. We will sit in the next pew at church on a Sunday morning, or next to each other in line at the church-lady bake sale on Election Day.

This small town has changed a bit since I was a kid. Property values have increased. We are a small town on the coast, these things happen. And there are lots of new neighbors. People who sought out a small town.

Living in a place like this is not for everyone, and sometimes there is an adjustment period. Sometimes those of us whose roots go back a ways grumble about the changes that naturally occur with time, with the addition of new people.

But change is inevitable, and we need to learn to accept it or respectfully advocate for change we agree on. 

What makes living in a small town amazing? I would argue that it is the fact that we are all in this together. Regardless of where you come from, or what your bank account looks like, you are known for how you present in person. There is not a lot of room for anonymity — your neighbors know you. I’m sure this can feel intimidating to those who did not grow up in a small town, but for those of us who love it here, this is comforting.

I guess I am just getting really sick of all the divisiveness. I grew up here, and I left, and I saw the world, and I lived in cities, and I came back. Everywhere I have been I have met amazing people. I believe we need to stop making everything an “us versus them” conversation. Most people have way more in common than we think.

All are welcome here, just be respectful to each other — to your neighbors, to the stranger. Be kind, be generous, be tolerant and accepting.

I ran across a post on social media this week, which referenced an incident in our neighboring town. An unhoused person was spotted sleeping in the park, and the person who saw them apparently stated, “we shouldn’t have to see this in [insert town name]” while calling the police. This post was widely shared, by people of various political stripes. And were unanimous in disdain for someone who would view an unhoused person with such a lack of charity.

The song I mentioned above (again, performed by someone from a rather large town) states, “around here, we take care of our own.” OK, I can get behind that. I believe that if you are here, for whatever reason, you are one of ours. And we will take care of you. Let us strive to make this true. These are the small town values I believe in.

Welcome, new friends, new neighbors. There are plenty of things to try in this small town. There are miles of hiking trails, lakes and streams, beaches both rocky and sandy. We have restaurants, from pizza to fine dining. We have small shops and crafts people and artisans of all types, and a wide variety of independent professionals. If you are visiting we have inns, bed and breakfasts, and a casual motel or two.

We are fortunate to live in such a lovely place, and we should always work to continue to make it a welcoming place for all.

As always, contact me at ceobrien246@gmail.com . Have a wonderful week, Lincolnville.