Appalachia Kid | Picture of strength, struggle and independence

There are so many amazing lines in this song.

“You don’t come here for no reason… surrounded by smallness.. you know what your country cousins did behind the woodshed.”

It paints a striking picture of strength, struggle and independence.

I think about making one’s way, making a life without the creature comforts people have grown used to in the cities.

You make your own opportunities and work with your people.

I respect a fierce loyalty to family. We take care of our own.

I think that sometimes can get lost in city life. The safety net is a lot bigger in the city.

You grow up resourceful when you grow up in the country.

You learn how to fix things. You learn how to make things. You learn what it means to prepare for hard times.

You can’t just run down for a gallon of milk.

That’s why I liked doing rural home healthcare. The strength and the people who are used to doing for themselves.

In the country, you know your neighbors. How many people know your neighbors in your neighborhood these days?

Most of my childhood years were in rural Indiana. I think about how life would be different if you grew up in a city. I guess you get a different skill set. Is one better than the other? It’s hard to say.

I think you look at problems differently.

Maybe it has something to do with the anonymity of city life as opposed to country life. You don’t go unnoticed in country life. Everyone knows everyone.

In a big city, you may not see the same person ever again. What does that do to you? To ride the "L" in Chicago, you and how many thousands of people taking the train every day. Being in such close proximity and no one talking to anyone.

In a small town, you can’t not talk to somebody.

As an example, I remember when I first moved to South Carolina – and someone asked me how are you doing today. I gave a standard, fine, answer – but it occurred to me after, no they really meant it. It wasn’t a perfunctory comment. I thought, wow, that’s kind of neat. I think we lose things like that if we’re not careful.

Sometimes we gotta slow down, or we’ll miss the good stuff.

Here’s “Appalachia Kid” words and music Pete Garfinkel and Amanda Colleen Williams

Not For Glory | A Song for Unsung Heroes

Serving God and Country. Why do they do it?

They make a sacrifice - sometimes it can be the ultimate sacrifice.

When they begin that path – is it family, is it history, is it patriotism?

How do we recognize them? How do we honor them?

What makes them rise up to meet these challenges?

“They don’t mind the pain if you don’t mind the scars.”

This song is a dedication from us to all that serve those here at home and abroad – military, civilian, medical and support staff – the unsung heroes.

Here’s “Not For Glory” words and music Pete Garfinkel and Amanda Colleen Williams performed by Taylor Lewis.

Now they have to choose: Medicine Or Food

Now they have to choose…

Too many elderly people face hard choices in their retirement years based on their limited financial means.

Tragically, some end up having to sacrificing on their most basic resource needs which may include their medicines or even food.

Many vulnerable elderly people are reluctant to ask for help and might fear being seen as a burden to family and friends.

This is a complex problem with no easy solutions though there are opportunities to find specific resource assistance in our communities.

Resources:

State and County based Social Services agencies Senior Centers County Health Departments Community Food Banks

Each community offers a number of potential assistance services which may be a benefit to people in need.

I encourage all people to make contact with your local agencies to learn what resources might be available.

Songs of Substance Project

Before becoming a songwriter I worked as a medical social worker and would visit “homebound” people where they lived to assess needs and provide resource planning assistance.

These experiences have led me to create this project in hope that it would help shed light on issues not often discussed outside of the helping professions.

To listen to the song, “Medicine or Food”