Scott Kamps
Graduation season is wrapping up. None of my kids graduated this year, but many of their friends did.
We’ve attended multiple graduations or graduation parties. It’s an encouragement to see young people learning, growing, and using the talents and giftedness the Lord has given them for productive purposes in society.
There really are so many gifted young people with so much potential in our community; it’s heartening to celebrate with them.
I also listened to a recording of one of the best commencement speeches I’ve ever heard. It was given on May 9 by Eric Church at the University of North Carolina’s commencement, I highly recommend it.
One of the most pertinent parts of his speech was when he discussed the importance of community in a person’s life.
“Your generation faces the temptation no generation before has ever faced," Church said. "The temptation to perform for everyone and belong to no one. To be globally visible and locally invisible. To have thousands of followers and no one actually knows where you live. Resist this. Plant yourself somewhere. Put down roots with the full intention of growing there. Learn the actual names, not usernames, of the people around you. Volunteer. Coach the team. Build the thing your community needs, even if the internet will never see it. Generosity is not something you do after you make it. It’s how you make it.”
Those are words of wisdom. It made me grateful for the roots my family has grown here in Graham County.
Since 2001, my wife and I have lived in three different Graham County communities. Over the 25 years here, God’s given us five biological children, one adopted child and two foster children. We’ve rejoiced with and mourned with this community (burying two of our own). We’ve volunteered countless hours with young people and employed nearly 100 people over the years. We’ve been plugged in to one church the entire time and consider them family. We’ve gotten to know many, many other good people in our community (both locals and those with second homes in the area).
Despite our growth and investment here, it’s assumed that “I’m not from here” (if you’ve been in Graham County very long, you’ve surely heard the phrase). But when I go to Michigan – where I grew up – I’ve been told that I talk different.
People ask me where I’m from, as well.
I know I’m not “from here” (as in born here), but we definitely consider it a privilege and blessing to belong to Graham County, and to love – and be loved – by this community. Many folks move into our county for what the county can give them, especially in regard to less people/traffic; a small-town atmosphere and beautiful mountains and lakes.
The best thing a newcomer to Graham County can do (whether full or part-time) is get to know people (in-person) and invest in the community.
It won’t just bless the county; it’ll bless you.
Scott Kamps writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, thestableguy@frontier.com.