It’s My Village

By: Samantha S. Daviss

It’s funny I never thought I would return home. But after I did, I fell back in love with this little town I call home for so many different reasons. My family and I don’t actually live in the town itself, we live just outside in a more rural area, and we love it. However, that is a whole other factor in falling back in love with this little town, that I adore.

I moved away for the better part of 13 years, and moved back to start a new life here with my little boy. And with that I started a new career, a new life, I found the love of my life and my best friend, and proceeded to increase our family with two more incredible little boys.

Aside from feeling safe and happy here…it truly is my extended family. No do I know everyone in town? Of course, not! Nor do they want to know me and my crazy self…but seriously all joking aside, I love this place. I love walking in to a store and being greeted by a familiar face. I love being able to call someone up and ask for a business favor, and it happens. I love being able to text my boss at the Corsicana Daily Sun and say…sorry, no column…crazy life, crazy day…and I get a “thumbs up” in return.

But mainly I love how this town helps one another. Just this last weekend, two of my three dogs decided to go on a walk-a-bout, and I spent the better part of three hours yelling for them, losing my voice, and crying lots and lots of tears. I posted it on Facebook on my personal wall, and that of Lost and Found Pets of Navarro County; and unbelievably so, I had more responses, inquiries, and a phone call from my cousin (well technically he is my husband’s cousin, but he’s stuck with my craziness now) offering to help drive around and look for them. Throughout the day, my friends were tagging friends in my area trying to help me locate them

And as I drove around looking for them I cried even more thankful for my Little Village. It was amazing how quickly people responded to reach out and help.

My other favorite story is, I had been in a car accident a while back and thus was in a rent car, with out-of-state plates on them. I stopped to pick my boys up one day, and when they climbed in one of my girlfriends came running after them. She was terrified they were being stolen by some crazy from New Jersey that was trying to kidnap them.

So, you see, it does in fact…Take a Village…and I must say my Village is absolutely amazing, Yes, just like any town, neighborhood, or city there is drama, there is gossip, there is always going to be negative aspects. But if you step back and look at the big picture, I mean really look…your Village is an amazing place.

Some Pig

By: Samantha S. Daviss

“Charlotte’s Web” was always one of my favorite books growing up. When I was little I just liked the pictures of Fern and her cute little pig. I wanted my own pig so much that my parents went out and bought me my very own concrete foot tall statue of a pig. Yep, they weren’t having any part of me having a pig.

But now my dream has come true. Although I know it has a sad ending already, it’s kind of like watching “Titanic”, you know what is going to happen. History has already written itself, but nonetheless, I still love this little thing. It’s our first year to do the Navarro County Youth Expo, and my oldest son has decided to show a pig this year. So far it has been incredible.

But back to my book reference. “Charlotte’s Web” began to take formation for me in so many ways over the years. It taught me about a great author, a great story about love and friendship, but more importantly how to use your imagination when writing.

Two of my favorite quotes from the book are:

 “Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
― E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”
― E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

The first quote to me is just dynamic. It is so true. We always expect so much in return from one another; why can’t we be more like Charlotte and just be someone’s friend without expecting anything? Why can’t we just be family and happy without expecting anything?

I have always said my friends are my family, and I don’t expect anything from them except maybe a phone call or a text, and if I am down, a little love. But that is all. I just expect them to be there when I truly need them.

And the second quote, well that’s just a personal thing that I love to have locked in the back of my head. I have always prided myself on loving my friends as family. I would do anything for them, because of them or to them if they needed me. And as you know, I love to write; so, to me that phrase is very fitting.

But I digress. I want to go back to the newest addition of our family. Her name is Marshmallow, because she loves marshmallows; but we have managed to shorten her name to Marsha. The day we picked her up she was only a month old. And mind you, we are new to this whole Youth Expo thing; so of course, my husband was working, and it was myself and the three boys, in my SUV going to pick her up.

We had an oversized dog kennel at the house that I put in the back of my SUV. Yep, not a trailer, or a pickup truck, but my SUV. And so, the guy put her in the cage for us, and off we went. No instructions, no clue, just a squealing baby pig in the back of my SUV. Have I mentioned she was inside my car? Not in a trailer? Ok, just making sure. Because poor thing was so upset, that she defecated in the cage, and was still squealing and running around and managed to fling poop all over the walls and windows of my SUV.

So, upon arrival home, the teen got to clean that out and I stuck about 50 dryer sheets all over my car to get rid of the farm smell, it was awesome!

But as the days went on, I fell more and more in love with this little creature. She has since started climbing in my lap to cuddle, she knows my scent and that of my son’s, and she loves to lay out in the sun for a little fresh air and some sun bathing.

I know we shouldn’t get attached, but when you have a creature that is as smart as your dog, and as cute, and as loyal; it is hard not to sometimes. So, to all you Youth Expo parents and kids out there, hats off to you all, and even more so for owning a trailer.

Why are you so Mean?

By: Samantha S. Daviss

So, I took an alternate route to get home the other day, because the road was blocked by a train that was stopped. It was no big deal; it didn’t upset me; I just swung around and headed home in another direction.

So as I pull on to the highway, where there is a ton of construction going on, so the normal extended lane for merging onto the highway doesn’t exist, throws me into the traffic sooner than I am able to compensate for the short “runway” of merging into the already flowing traffic. I did notice another car was coming but I was courteous and tried to judge my distance, and my lack of room for accelerating, and joined in the traffic, at a higher rate of speed as to not cause any issues.

So, the car that was coming, ran right up on my tail, and pulled to the other lane, and then wasn’t 15 feet past me, and immediately pulled right back in front of me. Now mind you, I mentioned there was traffic, because of course it is a highway; but at the time it was just myself and this other vehicle. So, there was no need for him to stay in the slow lane, ride right up on my tail, whip around me, and cut back in. The entire fast lane was wide open.

As I sat there driving down one of the major interstates in the great state of Texas, with two of my three precious cargo items in the back of my car (that being my kiddos), I thought “Self…I wonder if these people realize what they are doing when they create road rage, or road anger?”.

But seriously, do they realize it’s not a game? Do they realize they are travelling at speeds up to 80 miles per hours, in a vehicle that can weigh anywhere between 3,100 pounds (or 1.55 tons) up to 6,000 pounds (2.5 to 3 tons)? And they are just machines. They cannot correct their errors; in fact, if they are typically overcompensated, they rock and roll and could easily flip. Their brakes only react and work so quickly. They need time for your brain to think, react, apply, and the machine to actually stop.

All for what? Because someone took up a little of your space on the highway? Because your overall plan and picture driving on the highways was interrupted? The anger and impatience overwhelms me sometimes. There are small children, babies, families, and teenagers driving on the road with you. Just take a deep breath, relax and accept the fact that there will be other drivers on the road with you. 

Stop being so angry all the time.

It is one thing to be frustrated when someone blatantly cuts you off, and nearly causes a true accident, but if someone is just trying to politely merge on to the highway, and runs out of room; cut them some slack, apply your brakes, and don’t cut them off. Because, just because you are trying to get back at the person you “think” cut you off; you never know what the person in front of you will do.

What if there was an accident ahead you didn’t see, or something in the road that you needed to dodge, but instead you slam on your brakes without warning, causing the poor innocent mommy with her two babies, that you just cut off, to rear end you at the high speed of around 75 miles per hour.

All because your little “knickers” got all twisted up, your feelings were hurt, or whatever the case may be.

To you people with no patience or understanding on the roads or highways, to you I say…grow up. This is a massive machine you are driving and handling, not a bicycle; and you are not only endangering your life but those around you. Have a little compassion and understanding, please.