Not everyone dies famous in a small town
By Lamontt Cottrell
I saw a picture in our local paper today. A picture of a man I didn't know at all. I read about his life's story. Then, a song came into my mind. A song about being famous when you die in small town America.
Well you know, not everyone will die famous in a small town.
Just like this man I was reading about in this paper, He did not die famous. As I continued to read about him I found that he had been born during the dust bowl and, had grown up during the great depression. I read where he'd given his toy's as a boy for the war effort in World War two. I continued on to read about his service to the country in Korea. No, not everyone dies famous in a small town.
Hey!, not everyone dies famous in a small town. Not everyone wishes for fame and fortune or to live their life in the spotlight.
Choosing instead to live in the shadow's away from the limelight. No, not everyone dies famous in a small town. Yeah, people come and go without much fanfare. Not everybody will die famous in this small town.
As I read further, I discovered this man came back from that old war to settle down and live quietly in the same small town. He opened a little hardware store in the middle of downtown. Selling to the working folks he kept his family fed. You know not everyone will die famous in my small town.
Turns out he had to close up the hardware store in the 80's. A victim of the big box store's. He went on to build houses for the poor in different parts of the country. I had lived in one of those places myself. I never knew he had built it! Not everyone dies famous in a small town.
As I kept on reading I found out about how he had given himself to a higher calling late in life. This man led many youths to a relationship with the lord. Not everyone dies four in a small town.
Not everyone has a famous history. Choosing to to live the quiet life in obscurity. Not everyone dies famous in a small town. Folks live and die with out much being said. Not everyone dies famous in a small town.
I read about how his wife had passed years ago and. This man Han raised three children alone. Yet, I didn't even know him. Not every one will die famous in a small town. Turns out children in the community including their own referred to them as grandma and grandpa. No, not everyone dies famous in a small town.
It's been a couple of weeks since I saw that article about him. Now, as I sit here again reading yet another small town newspaper, I read about another small town person passing on silently. I'm informed about her transformation from the big city to the small town. About how she came from wealth and fame to live in that small town. Not everyone dies famous in any small town.
Despite being rich, she sought refuge in a small town. She made her life of riches into a life on a small town. I read about her life on the farm and, how she fed the community from that small town farm. Not everyone dies famous in a small town. Selling beans and potatoes from a roadside stand to pay her bills, how many passed by and bought her goods. Not everyone dies famous in a small town.
I read about her buying toys for kids for Christmas. How many played with one of them? Not all of us die famous in a small town.
So, next time you hear a song about somebody doing famous in a small town, just remember this. Not everyone will die famous in a small town. People come and go without much attention. Choosing a life of solitude over 15 seconds of fame. No, not everyone dies famous in a small town. No, not everyone dies famously in a small town.
Well, that lady is dead and gone now with no next of kin. Yet, she was rich beyond money. In her golden years she retired to a peaceful life on her farm. Alone but, that's what she wanted . So, the next time you hear that song just think about those who live in silence. Not everyone dies famous in a small town.
Choosing instead to make a life in quiet tranquility yeah, not all of us want to die famous in a small town. Most of us will pass without any hopla. Keeping out of the limelight not everyone will die famous in a small town.
Hey you know not everyone dies famous in a small town.
