Consider all the positive aspects of this place you call home
By Whitney Leggett, CV&T News Editor
Sometimes, when one calls a place home, it becomes fairly easy to start picking out every possible negative aspect of a place. It is just as easy to neglect to point out the beauty of the place.
It seems that we become so accustomed to an environment that we can only think of how to make it better and not how good it already is.
I can admit that after spending more than a decade in Winchester I can easily tell you everything bad about the little town. I can talk about some of the run down neighborhoods, the “trashy” bowling alley and the lack of recreational opportunities for its residents, especially the youth.
As I was in attendance at a recent city council meeting, I realized that there is very little good said about the towns in Estill County. As an outsider this is pretty shocking to me. I have spent two complete summers here now and part of last winter. Granted, I have not lived here. But I can find a million beautiful things about this county and each of the little towns that it holds.
Ravenna is seriously as picturesque as a small town can get; from it’s beautiful park, to it’s clean streets and the lovely old buildings that line it’s streets. Downtown Irvine is one of the most special little places I have been blessed to rest my eyes upon. The courthouse always looks neat, the new town hall is a beautiful addition to the downtown area and I have never noticed the bad landscaping or deteriorating infrastructure that is often discussed at city meetings.
I find Estill to be one of the most beautiful counties I have traveled to and would not mind calling it home one day. Besides it’s natural beauty, the people of Estill are simply put, kind. I have seen the best and worst of the people in the county and feel safe saying that things could be so much worse.
From the delivery drivers at all of the amazing little restaurants, to the council and fiscal court members, the police officers and the everyday person I run into, not a day goes by that I am not greeted with a smile and very often a hug or pat on the back.
I actually found it encouraging that Mayor Farmer quickly stood up for his city at the recent council meeting. I truly feel the need to commend him for that. As I have sat through several council meetings this summer, I found that he was as quick as any of the other council members to point out aspects of the city that could be improved upon. But, to see him stand up for the city that he represents was touching and it took a lot of guts.
If I were a citizen of Irvine I would feel good knowing that the mayor represented his people and his city very well. He defended the city while agreeing that things could look better.
As I commend Mayor Farmer, I don’t want the council members to think that I am speaking badly of them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to improve the place that you call home. I only wish that they could see the beauty that visitors see when they travel into Irvine.
It may be a small town with limited downtown parking and a wall or two that could use some painting but overall, it is one beautiful little place to come to each morning.
I just want to encourage my readers to take the time to find one good aspect of the place that they call home. Whether it’s the friendly people, the beautiful country roads or the well landscaped little towns, Estill is one special place.
The content of this editorial column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinon of the publisher and staff of the Citizen Voice & Times