Sadness beyond belief (A tiny rant)

Christmas came and went and the following Monday we decided to hop in the car and go back to Richmond to meet up with my mom for some fun. She is a stylist so I got my hair colored, Savannah got a cute little haircut and somehow we managed to get Johnathan the hair cut he so desperately needed. He hates getting his hair cut. Poor kid is scared to death of it.

My mother lives in Henrico County, Short Pump to be exact. Growing up, Short Pump was considered the absolute boonies! It was country living, farms, mom n pops and a view of the stars that would take your breath away.



I knew a guy who's parents lived in Short Pump and have vivid memories of my friends and I being bored and driving out there just to look at the stars and basically just be teenagers. There wasn't a street light for miles and the air was fresh. The stars were clear and when we weren't running through the fields, we were laying on the hoods of our cars, just staring up at the stars. Oh the things you dream about when your young.
This is Broad Street in 1987.



Over the years Short Pump has changed. In my opinion, for the worse. It's grown. It started slow and with the blink of an eye is totally out of control. You name it, they've got it. I'm talking every store you can think of. It's there.

This is Tom Henley in front of his house which is now home to Petco.



This is the old Short Pump garage which is now basically WalMart.



This is an old home which is now Applebee's.


The residence of Joyce & Henry Foster which is now Macy's. (Short Pump Town Center)



Through the transformation something strange happened. All of a sudden, it was cool to live in Short Pump. Cookie cutter houses were going up like mad, all the "best" schools were there, people began leaving downtown Richmond and surrounding areas to shop and to raise their families. Apparently there were a lot of Northern Virginia transplants as well. (that's a whole other story)
Through all of the growth one farm that was on Broad Street refused to give in to the commercialism and for years, there it sat.

(Images via Flickr)








Now, I don't know all of the details behind the farm but I'm guessing that they finally got an offer they couldn't refuse. Lord only knows how much money they made off of the sale of that farm but yeah, it sold. It was big news in Richmond. My mother called me and with a sadness in her voice said, "well, the last farm finally sold. Isn't that sad?"


Later that afternoon my mom took us to Trader Joe's. We had never been and she was dying for us to see it.
As we drove there, following her, we took a turn and drove up on one of the saddest, ugliest things I have ever seen in my adult life. John was driving and I was simply in shock. My jaw hung open and tears swelled up in my eyes. It was the beginning of West Broad Village.

A masterfully designed urban living space featuring accents of colonial America. Brick streets lined with maple trees connect charming stately single family attached homes creating a community of people who live, work, shop and recreate within an urban setting they call home.

Sorry about some of the bad pictures, Jacob was taking them on the cell phone as we were driving. You get the idea.
Wow. Was all I could say. That beautiful farm is gone and that is what took it's place?

In all fairness, these European-style communities that are being built seem like a decent idea. Live, shop, whatever, all in your own little community, but to this extreme? And this is beyond extreme.
I was beyond sad.

So, after our trip to Trader Joe's, which I really enjoyed, my mom treated to dinner at this funky Japanese place where they cook the food in front of you. Johnathan and Jacob really enjoyed it and the food was great.

After dinner we said our goodbye's, and before we got back on the road, Jacob insisted we go to Walmart. He had a gift card from Christmas and knew this was his only chance to spend the money. I wasn't going in there, that's for sure. So, John went in with Jacob while I sat in the car with Savannah and Johnathan.
That's when it hit me.
I was watching hundreds of people flux in and out of that store. Women coming out with carts full of plastic bags carrying their stuff, kids with their parents, couples with huge boxes of I don't know what. In and out. In and out. The parking lot was beyond capacity and didn't feel safe. They never do. What is the deal with Walmart parking lots? I always feel like I'm gonna be robbed or something.

Anyway, it hit me. A million thoughts all at once but the picture was clear.

These people don't look like they are in a recession.
Ugh, this parking lot gives me the creeps.
Do people here care about the planet at all?
Are all of my efforts for nothing?
No wonder my mother thinks I'm a nut.
Wow, how much money do these people have to blow?
I'm so happy we raise our own chickens.
What is in all of those plastic bags that women has?
Ugh, they're all going in the landfill.
Does she care?
Does she know?
Sure, she has to know, right?
Wow,that girl payed a ton for those boots! She could've fed a starving family with that money.
What is taking them so long?

OK, so maybe someone out of the hundreds of people there cared. Heck, we brought our own shopping bags into Trader Joe's and got a ticket to be entered into a raffle for $25. All for using our own bags!
OK, a little sarcasm there but hey, whatever, I'm angry.
Angry because this is not the future I want for my children.
And I was thankful. Thankful we live in a little town where everyone knows each other. Thankful we care.

My great grandfather (yes, he's still alive and kickin') has a huge farm not far from Short Pump.

Will it be sold one day?

Will buildings stand in the place of all of the mature trees? Will street lights take the place of the stars? Will the sound of crickets at night be replaced by cars honking? Will the green rolling hills be covered with bricks and cement? Will his beat up mailbox be replaced with a giant neon sign?