Virginia is for Lovers

Upon entering Virginia by any of the interstates there are three signs that greet you. First is the friendly “Welcome to Virginia” sign complete with a cardinal perched on a lovely dogwood branch. Following this beautiful sign is a small black sign which reads: “RADAR DETECTORS ILLEGAL”. Okay, that doesn’t bother me because I don’t have one and I knew they were illegal in some places. But then there are these large black intimidating signs which read: “SPEED LIMIT ENFORCED BY AIRCRAFT” wait...WHAT?! Aircraft? I quickly scanned the sky. I’m not sure how this works, but almost as frequently as speed limit signs, these signs line the highway. Being black, I tend to take these more seriously, glancing up at the sky and in the rearview each time I passed one. Virginia has a nationwide reputation as being the strictest on traffic laws. I only saw one cop from Dallas to Johnson City, TN. I saw at least four along Interstate 81 in Virginia. 

Here is a hilarious photo I found on another blog which captures the image
I had in my mind as I monitored my speed and kept an eye on the skies.

My first two weeks in Front Royal have gone fairly well despite a few bumps in the road with work. I wasn’t able to work for the first two days because my state SLP license had not yet been issued. The time off allowed me more time to get settled in and get a feel for this place where I have landed. I live in the lovely home of a generous and kind-hearted retired couple. During the week they keep their 6 year old grandson in the evenings. This sweet little guy seems to think that my sole purpose in being here is to play with him. He knows I’m only staying until Christmas, but I think he might be heart broken when I leave. Tonight he told me that he loves me. 

Today was Front Royal's annual Festival of Leaves. My morning started with a grueling 5k on the most hilly route I have every run. I was grateful for the encouragement and companionship from a co-worker who agreed to run it with me. I caught the tail end of the parade and then perused through the booths lining the downtown streets. It was the typical festival lineup: candles, canned preserves and sauces, face painting, a few local artisans, local charities, and of course funnel cake and BBQ. There was some decent live music and then there was this other guy lip syncing Johnny Cash with a broken blue guitar. My afternoon was spent exploring the Skyline Drive, Front Royal's current claim to fame. The family I live with showed me some beautiful views along the drive through Shenandoah National Park. It was a beautiful day and one well-spent. 

The people here are friendly and have not made me feel unwelcome, however the longer I am here the more I feel the distance between myself and this culture. This is a small town and I am an outsider. The vast majority of residents here — at least the ones I have encountered — have deep roots in the area. Being 26, single and childless seems to ostracize me even more. Frequently conversations are centered around opinions on what so and so did or does or doesn’t do. I’m still trying to process it all and figure out what my response should be, if any. I want to be a positive influence, but frequently the begrudging runs deep. I want to shed some light, but I am an outsider, what do I know. My life feels so disconnected from the world I have stepped into here. In previous places, I have felt needed, I have felt used by God, despite being a “short-timer” as one previous co-worker called me.  Here I just feel like a foreigner, welcomed, but uninformed. I am learning from this experience and I hope I am being used. It is not a bad experience, just a new one. 

Shenandoah National Park

"Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6