In my graduating class there were about 236 seniors. About 50 of them had been with me since Kindergarten, the rest of them I met in middle school. No we didn't know everyone personally but we knew someone who did and we could probably follow a story about them if you said their name and the group of friends they hung out with. With that being said, when a tragedy strikes it almost devastates a small town community like mine, and these past few weeks have tested the best of us.
We come together in times of heart ache. Living in a small town the news of a loss gets around fast. The next thing you know there are dinner casseroles flying past your door left and right and people coming by just to see how you are doing in these terrible times. We know that you probably do not want to be alone but also do not want to burden anyone so we take it upon ourselves to make sure you are taken care of. We do not tear each other apart because the town has taken enough of a blow that we do not need anymore negativity; and those that do have negative things to say, get shut down really quick.
We pray for miracles when it seems like that's all you can do. One post to Facebook about an unspoken prayer, or a specific request and the entire town has shared or commented in order to show their support. We offer out precious request that even if you aren't religious you keep these families and parents and students in your thoughts and with for a better outcome. It works too because even if you don't always get your miracle, you get a support system to catch you when you fall.
We may not know what to say but we are there for each other. Sometimes the best medicine for heartache is to sit and cry on someone's shoulder. Growing up in a small town there was no lack of shoulders to cry on. Someone may not even know you but if they see you are having a hard time they will offer help and support no matter what you are going through. We take up collections to help with the financial burdens so you can grieve knowing that everything is taken care of and we show up when you say you need someone.
We grew up together, learned together, and lived together. Sometimes it is a sibling, sometimes it is a classmate, sometimes it is a child, but most of the time it is a friend. Losing someone in a small town is devastating because you have been with these people your entire life. No matter what happened, whether you grew apart, moved away, or just weren't especially close, you feel the heartbreak when you hear about a tragedy. It echoes far and deep so you share a memory. You post a picture you tell a story and you help lessen this aching feeling everyone has like something is missing because there is a pain where this person used to be in your heart.
Inman has lost so much lately it is almost like we're falling apart, but that is most certainly not the case. If anything, these tragedies have pulled Inman back together to remember and bring back the joy that these losses had brought to this world. You may be gone but you will never be forgotten, and we hope for a miracle that you pull through and win your battle. We won't give up because are small town strong.
