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People often ask what Maine is like. Maine is bigger than the other New England states put together. The question is like asking what Burlington, Vermont and Point Judith, Rhode Island are like. There is a vague line across Maine where people and expectations change dramatically. Today I saw that difference defined as clearly as I ever have. The Cumberland County Commissioners have designated the fourth Monday of each September as "Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children" and ask all families to observe this day.
I find it sad to think this is necessary in any part of Maine. It would not happen up here above - (Fill in the blank.)
So what you are saying is that the opinion of a couple of people is a reflection of the entire southern half of the state ?. Interesting.
So the people who broke into my camp in Hancock county should be viewed as a reflection of the entire northern half of the state ?
Sounds kind of narrow minded, doesn't it ?
People often ask what Maine is like. Maine is bigger than the other New England states put together. The question is like asking what Burlington, Vermont and Point Judith, Rhode Island are like. There is a vague line across Maine where people and expectations change dramatically. Today I saw that difference defined as clearly as I ever have. The Cumberland County Commissioners have designated the fourth Monday of each September as "Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children" and ask all families to observe this day.
I find it sad to think this is necessary in any part of Maine. It would not happen up here above - (Fill in the blank.)
If you read the minutes you would see it is a National initaitive not a local one. The Cumberland County Commissioners did not dream it up . By adopting the proposal you can be assured they will come under the good graces of someone in Washington DC.
Don't draw a line where there isn't one.
In a continually depressed economy, good people are often driven to do bad things. Of course there are differences in Maine, as in every state. Each part of the state appeals to a particular group of people. It's not bad, it's not good, it just is. If I were a yuppie, I would certainly locate close to Portland. If I needed employment, and wanted to "make" it, I would of course be where the jobs are. If I was a fisherman, I would be on the coast, preferably mid-coast on down.
A note on the family day/night. A church in the US has Monday designated as a Family Home Evening for decades. That is one day of the week that is "reserved" to be with family members. A family meal, activity, and evening. It is sad that we have to be reminded to do the things that were once so natural here in America. Even if it is by the church, or the government.
In these economic times people are driven (granted some are just lazy) to do things that they normally would not do. Hard times, does not bring out the best in people anymore. In the America of the past hard times built character. Now, because we have such a diverse economic group, hard times are relegated only to certain sectors of people. The millionaires are still doing pretty well. The blue collar guys are hanging in there, if just barely, and the unskilled people are now unemployed. Jobs that many blue collar people would not take, are now taken by college graduates. The guy taking your order in McDonald's might have an MBA. I think Maine is great, primarily because it is such a diverse state, economically, politically, and socially. Try living in South Florida, where life is eternal summer, with an infernal number of people, all packed together in housing that is cookie-cutter. There isn't much diversity there. There is always a line, in every state.
The 'family' as many of us know it to be is mostly gone from our society.
We still sit down for dinner. We did when we had children at home and we do now.
Commonly whenever we had friends of our children staying over for dinner, they were amazed at the practice.
Once I recall we had a friend of mine from work who came over with his family [wife and two children]. His children had never sat at a dinner table before, and as it turned out, they ended up in another room with plates of food in front of a TV. While us four adults and our two children sat at a table and had dinner.
Once when we had foster-children, a court required an assessment by a court-appointed shrink. He asked each of the foster-chidlren to draw what our home life was like. They each drew pictures of our kitchen [with the children learning how to prep food, how to cook, or to set a table for dinner]. One child drew a picture of us seated around the table eating.
I'm quickly seeing the difference between 'urban' and 'rural', with suburban somewhere in between. I have taken jobs in Worcester MA, where kids vandalized one of our dump trucks in broad daylight. They also have hung around us, asking for cash. Back in southern RI where I live, I can leave the trucks out all night with the keys in them, and nobody bothers a thing. As I get closer to Boston while working a job, I am more cautious where I park, what I wear, and never handle money in public.
There IS a difference between urban and rural. I agree with NMLM, that there's an almost imperceptible "line" that one does not cross without being careful. Crime can and does occur in rural areas, but is far more prevalent in urban areas. In Maine, we all know where that "line" is. Too bad our cities cannot be the elegant, gracious places they were built to be!
To me, that is the sad part. The loss of family traditions inevitably follows.
"In Maine, we all know where that "line" is. Too bad our cities cannot be the elegant, gracious places they were built to be!"
Actually I don't know where that line is. I live 20 miles from Portland, 30 miles from Kittery. I have never locked the doors to my truck at night. I have never locked our garage doors, even while we are away and the garage is under the house !!! We have never had anything stolen and we've been here for almost 50 years.
As stated in a previous post, our camp in Hancock county was broken into not too long ago, though I hold no ill feelings towards all the wondeful people from that area, but I have to question your logic in stating that we all know where the "line" is, because I sure don't.
So what you are saying is that the opinion of a couple of people is a reflection of the entire southern half of the state ?. Interesting.
So the people who broke into my camp in Hancock county should be viewed as a reflection of the entire northern half of the state ?
Sounds kind of narrow minded, doesn't it ?
Politically speaking yes. It is a well known fact there are two Maines. The one below Bangor and the one above Bangor. The differences are easy to see just by driving around the two. North of Bangor people are different.
Sorry about your camp but it does bring up the point that people from southern Maine ( northern Mass to us downeasters ) come up here with the flatlanders to enjoy what we have. unlike flatlanders you share the same vote we do but your votes help your Maine but never seem to do anything for us. We have lost all out industry due to decisions made far south of us. Your high taxes have killed northern Maine.
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