Editorial of December 5, 2024

Who Wants To Be a Hero?

We are on our way to the holidays and a new—who knows, it might be better—year. Whether 2025 turns out to be better, or not, we most probably won’t ever forget just how difficult, sad and tumultuous, and not-so-better 2024 has been. We often feel these days that we are going somewhat bonkers—or it might be that we are staying sane and the rest of the world is going bonkers. It’s all pretty much the same thing.

But there is a bright side, if we look hard enough. Next door, in Vermont, among the most vernacular and charming institutions that scenic and mountainous tourist attraction of a state has is the country store. These quaint, ancient, family-owned emporia can, or at least could, be found in all the tiny villages spread through the hills and dales of the state, providing their residents with just about everything they need to live, eat, and work, without the grueling voyages to the bigger stores over the mountains and far away. These country stores are ingenious. Not only do they provision and provide for their people, they are also the meeting place for their communities, and many serve as well as the post office, lost-and-found, bake sale venue, bookstore, farmers’ market, babysitter, chatroom, and coffee shop.