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All our lives, we have heard the “gloom and doom” statement, “This world is going to Hell in a handbasket.” Because of age and maturity, I now see things differently. Actually, I now see things a whole lot differently. Everywhere I go, I see many good people and many good things happening.
But “perception is reality.” That is, in my opinion, a true statement. So what if our perception is being controlled by forces that do not cover the good and then to add insult to injury, those same forces highlight the bad? With only a few exceptions, today’s media dwells mostly on the bad. Bad news sells better than good news.
Last weekend, on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, I attended the North Carolina Poultry Jubilee in Rose Hill with my grandson, Dixon Lee. Each day, the crowds were large and in a festive mood. In every direction, families could be seen enjoying vendor booths, the rides, and the amazing grilled wings. I like round numbers, so I ate only 12. I think there were five or six competition groups consisting of different House of Raeford employees. Cowan Johnson was heard telling folks, “I will have the ‘First Place’ wings about 7 p.m. Sorry Cowan!”
As I enjoyed a welcomed reprieve from political events and activities, I felt unusually relaxed and was able to actually think about what I was seeing, hearing, and feeling. It was like the hectic world had stopped and I was back in time when we didn’t have 24/7 news “ALERTS” blasting in our ears and glaring in our eyes. I saw owners and employees talking, hugging, and visiting in such a natural “old-time way.” People weren’t talking about the government shutdown or any one of the other hundreds of bad things or conditions in the world.
It is amazing what can happen when there are no televisions in every direction you look and people actually forget or lay down their “devices” long enough to actually have fun interacting with each other. I thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could take the “World’s Largest Frying Pan” on tour and stop in Washington D.C. or Chicago or Raleigh? To put icing on the cake, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could also take all the Duplin County families, business owners, and employees attending the jubilee on the tour and let those areas stand still and watch Duplin County neighbors show them how to act, how to treat each other, how to have fun without fighting and quarreling?
With fond thoughts and a great sense of gratitude while driving back home, I thanked the Lord for those who have preserved through the years to start and keep the Poultry Jubilee going. I also thanked the Lord for the kind, caring, and generous efforts of Bob and Luanne Johnson and their family. I was well pleased to see the caring interactions of Bob and his family with their employees at the competing BBQ wing booths. All the rides for the children on Friday night were paid for by Bob and Luanne! My heart swelled with gratitude as I watched many Fire and First Responders serving their neighbors.
I don’t even regret Chad Smith “beguiling” me into buying his mother’s cake.
A week earlier, I attended the 105th consecutive Warsaw Veterans Day Parade and experienced much the same relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. I have attended over seventy of those magnificent “small town” parades. It was with great appreciation for the many years of dedicated service by hundreds of Warsaw folks keeping the event alive that I was able to pass Legislation recognizing the Warsaw Veterans Day Parade as the official North Carolina Veterans Day Parade.
WE, the people, should never forget the dedicated efforts of good ‘ol Duplin County Folks.
Rep. Jimmy Dixon represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.
