We are the lucky ones! by John Dersham

It took me a long time to make it to DeKalb County Alabama to live. I came here by way of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Missouri, Mississippi then Birmingham and finally DeKalb County. It took me more then 50 years to find the place I never want to leave. Some of you may wonder why I feel this way. If you have lived here all your life (you lucky ones) you may not view it from the perspective of having lived other places to form my comparison. Since I don’t have space here to write a book about this subject I’ll keep it to a few reminders of how wonderful living here is.
Last week I went to our county courthouse to get my drivers license renewed. I was greeted at the front door by a couple gentlemen working the security checks. They were friendly and courteous and laughed at the junk I took out of my pockets to pass through security. They directed me to the location of the driver’s license renewal and upon entering that location I was greeted by a very nice and highly professional lady whom took all my information. If you want to understand how this simple process functions as a comment on the quality of life in our area then go to Philadelphia or Birmingham and do the same thing. When you come out two hours later beaten and abused and having stood in line for hours then you will understand.
We are blessed to live in an area where people are extremely friendly and helpful by nature. They are not stressed out by years of battling the system of living and working in high traffic, long lines, high costs and among people too busy and stressed out to be friendly.
Here in DeKalb County we have a low comparative cost of living. Housing is affordable, property taxes are generally low. We have great churches, plenty of shopping and eating locations and abundance of natural beauty and wide open spaces. We have great attractions to enjoy like Sequoyah Caverns, DeSoto State Park and Falls, Little River Canyon National Preserve and Canyon Center, Bucks Pocket State Park, High Falls Park, DeKalb County Lake, Fort Payne Depot Museum, Alabama Fan Club and Museum. We have seven annual festivals in our county and a host of quaint towns to visit and shop in. There is no better place anywhere to sight see than on our back roads. We are blessed with an abundance of Flora and Fauna and are proud to host both northern and southern species of both. If on occasion you get that itch to shop at a large Mall or eat at a restaurant we don’t have then you are only an hour or a little more to all of that you want in Chattanooga, Birmingham, Huntsville, Rome or Gadsden.
The next time you are out and about in our fine county, think about what I have said and enjoy yourself and feel blessed, as I do, to live here.