Small Towns Still Get It

Maybell, CO Population 72

From the "Maybell Gazette"

MEMORIAL DAY ISN’T JUST ALL ABOUT BBQ’S . . . .

The Maybell Women’s Club used to host Memorial Day Services at the Maybell cemetery, with services conducted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4265, American Legion Post 62, and the Sons of the American Legion. The pastor from the Maybell Church, Linda Taylor also participated. The ladies of the club baked cookies and served lemonade and iced tea after the ceremony was ended.

I particularly remember the year 2009. Grandma and I lived 20 miles out of Maybell and we had our cookies baked. It was time to go!
I opened the front door and the skies opened up and rain fell down in torrents. I made a run to the truck, opened the door and went back into the house to help Grandma make a mad dash through the mud and rain.

You might wonder . . . “Why would ANYONE want to venture out in a nasty rainstorm?” Well . . . even if you aren’t wondering, I’m going to tell you anyway. It was Memorial day and we were headed to the Maybell Cemetery. We were going to go despite the storm because the way I looked at it was that those who fought for our freedoms went through a whole lot worse than a little . . . . did I say “little?” . . I mean HUGE . . . Spring storm. We had the freedom of partying, visiting, vacationing or doing whatever we wanted to do on Memorial Day.
We made our way into town and as we climbed out of the truck, it quit raining. The wind was blowing briskly and a cold cloudy atmosphere surrounded us. We placed our plates of cookies on the table and huddled up next to others standing and sitting, hoping that the persons on either side of us would make good windbreaks.

And GUESS WHAT? All those who think Maybell is the armpit of the world. . . . well . . . she loves us Maybell-ites! Maybe cuz we don’t call her names or get ugly with her, but love her in return. I know I heard her over in the corner whispering to Mother Nature . . or maybe it was just the wind dancing on the wire fence. Whatever. But suddenly the wind subsided, the temperature rose a bit and the sunlight played “hide and seek” and “I see you” among the clouds.
The services began with Betty Morris playing music on her little organ and the Maybell Church Choir sang America’s great patriotic songs.

I know it wasn’t Arlington Cemetery . . . and there were no big wiggity diggity celebrities there, but nobody or no place could have had any better feelings and awesome moments than our little group of Maybell residents as they reflected and honored those who had fallen. We not only had the wonderful men who came from Craig 30 miles away, to help us pay our respects, along with the music and singing, but in the silences between songs and tributes, Mother Nature threw in several species of birds to sing for us too. Not even the 21 gun salute scared them away.

We thoroughly enjoyed the drinks and home-baked cookies afterwards and I heard several people comment that it was just dumping in Craig. So, the weather was nasty all around Maybell, but Maybell was smiling down on us. As we prepared to depart for home, the wind started back up and the clouds once again were looking black, blue and purplish. By the time we got home, it was thundering with lightning and yeppers . . . . dumping rain.

We’ve all heard the saying ”Home is where the heart is” . . . and yep, you can live in the fanciest mansion in the world, but if your heart isn’t there, then it is just a place. There are lots of times when folks don’t like their homes and wish they had something else, but life is the dealer. We take what we’re dealt and like it, or we can just be bitter hateful ole souls that nobody likes to be around. You can always do something to make your home a better place to live if you don’t like it, even if all you do is grab up a drinking glass, a fruit jar or beer can and poke some dandelion blooms in it and sit it on the table.
It’ll bring a smile to somebody’s face and by the time the dandelions served their purpose, there will be other flowers around to pick and choose from.

There are lots of people who don’t get the choices we have. . . . . Life is over for them way too soon. Memorial Day is a great reminder of this fact. So pay your respects and honor those who have helped us stay free. Memorial Day isn’t just all about BBQ’s.