The July-August issue of “Readers’ Digest” carries a feature in which people make short comments about places that have meaning for them. Mississippi has two: one about Smithville recovering from last year’s tornado, and one by Morgan Freeman about why the Delta is special to him.
Columbus did not have an entry. One would not expect it to; there is no special reason for us to be included. The article did make me think, however. What would one say about Columbus if invited to do so? I decided to give it a try.
Whatever one thinks of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, all things about the Confederacy being currently “politically incorrect,” Columbus owes much of its character to him. Because Forrest managed to keep Union forces from occupying the city, its antebellum homes remained unscathed. They provide a wealth of architectural style, which we have capitalized on, primarily with our Spring Pilgrimage.
The homes give Columbus a profitable tourist attraction along with a real aesthetic pleasure. Springtime in Columbus, with the azaleas, wisteria and dogwood blooming, is truly beautiful. The Pilgrimage itself adds an atmosphere of festivity almost, but not quite, like carnival. We are not unique in that respect, but we are one of a special minority.
There is also an abundance of Victorian homes. I think they have come into their glory in recent years, since their owners have found the courage to paint them colors other than bland white. Using vivid color combinations makes their gingerbread sparkle.
The ambiance does not stop with the great houses, but spreads to simple cottages as well. I detect in my home town a real pride of home — of space. A small house with a tiny yard can be every bit as charming as the houses on steroids. Many are.
Is it my imagination? Am I letting my love for my hometown blur my vision? I don’t think so. I have been lucky to travel widely, and I have seen many beautiful communities. I have also seen many places famed for their natural beauty, where just about all the houses you see as you drive along the highway are squared-off, little brown boxes.
We may be the poorest state in the country, but, doggone it, we sure try to make the most of what we have. I applaud the humble cabin with petunias, zinnias, or verbena growing around a wooden porch.
While I’m at it, I want to salute the spirit of those forebears who were trailblazers.
We had the first public school in the state, the first state-supported college for women in the country, and nearby the first consolidated school at Rural Hill.
We had the first Memorial Day in the country, when a few Columbus women gathered at Twelve Gables and decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers before anyone else after the Civil War.
We have also had a national championship football team and a swim team that won the state championship 19 out of 20 consecutive years. I am sure anyone reading this could add significantly to my short list.
If I sound like a Chamber of Commerce, I apologize. I think what I am trying to express is that sense of place, that “warm, fuzzy feeling” of home.
Of country
At this particular time of the year, however, our thoughts expand to include our nation. A few days ago we celebrated the anniversary of the birth of the United States of America. We feel for this whole country the same kind of pride, of identity, the sense of “our place.” I fear that we also feel a kind of unease, a nagging concern about where we are headed. Our national debt confounds us.
This is not the first time our country has been in peril, nor will it be the last. I think we need to observe this Fourth of July with the determination to repudiate those who “serve” our country for the sake of their own ambition to acquire power, amass fortunes, or impose their own will on the population. We need some statesmen among the politicians.
It was liberty that made this nation great, that made it possible for us to flourish in whatever area we call home. I love my hometown and the USA (and, yes, love is the correct word; “like” is inadequate for what I feel.) I hope we can choose wisely in this year’s elections to protect the liberty of being governed by our own consent.
Betty Boyls Stone is a freelance writer, who grew up in Columbus.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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