Do you have family or friends living in large, metropolitan areas? Are their lifestyles similar to yours? Have you had a chance to talk with them about “rural” issues that you might be familiar with or are important to you? Do they seem to understand these issues and have similar perspectives as yours?
I have relatives in New York City and Philadelphia. They do not have vehicles but are experts at mass transit. If they take a trip where a train does not go, they rent a car. They love to shop at in-town farmer’s markets and do not complain about the prices. (After all, they have very good incomes.) They are pleased that the Klamath’s dams have been removed; don’t understand why there are so many fires burning out West (but wish that we could stop them); and are confused by our continual fighting over water. After all, with summer rain and high humidity in the East, irrigation is not a common need.
I love my relatives. They are nice and compassionate folks. But, a haunting feeling comes over me–that we are of a different breed. I worked my entire life in the forest, doing my part in managing them so they could productively provide wood products. My relatives wonder why trees need to be cut. I consider my relatives to be well-meaning but naïve and ignorant. They consider me to be old-fashioned and un-hip.
