On The Fly

Redevelopment starts small. Could it be something as simple as Christmas lights on the square? Let’s hope so. During a recent visit to Cuba, Illinois, I discovered a nugget of renewal. Cuba is a small, rural farming community in west-central Illinois where I grew up. Like many small towns, it has a Main Street, boasts a central square with a bandstand, old-fashioned street lamps, and a veterans’ memorial, surrounded by the local businesses. During my youth, it was a thriving community. Today it’s a relic, one of those midwestern towns that have fallen into decay. I never witnessed the decay; it was 1976 when I moved to Macomb to attend Western Illinois University. From there, I moved to California. At least once a year I return home to visit family. This year I lost my father . He was 80 years old, his spirit lives in all the people he touched.  Exasperated by the realization of losing her friend and lifelong companion, I quickly realized my mother found a lot to compla