It Only Takes a Spark ...

The secret to making things happen in a small town is this: a spark. It is that simple. One person doing something is enough to start a movement and build momentum in your community. 

People might not always encourage that spark as they should in small towns. They might question why you are taking the time to start anything new and different. They are certain to say, “That’s been tried before and it didn’t work.”  They will be your biggest critics…. but give it some time and soon they will also be your biggest supporters. 

In Rural America, we are used to setbacks, heartache, mishaps, and things just not going our way. We are used to people coming and going and “moving on” to bigger and better things. That is why sometimes you get negative remarks or the half-smiles of people biting their tongues while you tell them about your latest idea.

“That’s nice” or “Talk to me in six months and let me know how that works out" is what you might hear. 

But, if you stick around, hold fast to your plan, and make it work, you will start a flame in your small town that burns for years to come. When that happens, people start believing again, they begin to see that change can happen and when one person cares, others begin to care. It has a domino effect, and we call that momentum.