This semester, I am taking an Appalachian Literature class and we, more often than not, spend 50 minutes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday talking about themes that frequently show up in Appalachian Literature and Appalachian daily life. Some of the theme ideas include coal, religion, family-focused ideals, sustenance, and knowledge and pride for the land around us. These themes are not inclusive. I know, trust me, I know, that these themes do not always apply in life today or apply to every individual Appalachian inhabitant. I have not been to every square mile of Appalachia and I know there are millions of more things to learn about individuals and people-groups and I want more than anything to do that. But, for now, this is what I know applies to some and here are some thoughts.

There is one theme that can’t really be put into a specific word or phrase, but one that I was surrounded by my whole life. This theme is the independence and ability for Appalachians to fend for and stand up for themselves in any given situation while, at the same time, having some of the biggest and most giving hearts. That is the theme put very simply and in as few words as possible.

Strong.

Appalachians are often born strong. They come from strong lineages of both men and women who worked for what they had and who stood firm in their beliefs-whether they be religious, morality-based, or just a simple opinion. These ancestors created a path of individuality and self-determination that many regional people seem to have in their blood today. They can hold their ground. Both men and women alike know what they believe and will firmly defend their opinions with their lives-Appalachians are self-determining.

On the almost opposite end of that ideal, comes the care and unending generosity of most Appalachians. If somebody is in need, people help. Families offer up homes, churches welcome the hurt, communities embrace the distressed.

Loving.

Appalachians love neighbors, family, and strangers with everything they have. It is in most people’s hearts to give and to naturally serve. Wanting to help others feel as individualized as they are or as loved with a sense of security is an unspoken feeling that most Appalachians have in them. They want to help others feel loved and feel like they have a voice, and most of the time, will serve others selflessly to help them get to that place. It is an act of respect and appreciation for other humans.

Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia

Like I said, I grew up surrounded by this theme. I grew up in Appalachia with a deep generational lineage that ties back to Appalachia. It’s in my blood. I am going to school in Appalachia, and while it is a very diverse school, many students are from the Appalachian region. People here are loving and kind and when they see a problem, no matter how big or small, they try to fix it.

Here at school, we have a whole community of students who love to serve and have huge hearts for people in need. We have teams for specific social justice issues and we have events that help reach out into our community. We try to enable and encourage students to be as helpful and giving in the community as possible.

A couple of weekends ago, myself and nine others from my school attended the National Impact conference in St. Louis, Missouri. We spent a long weekend with people that wanted to change the world and are actively doing so. It was amazing to hear others speak about immigration, racism, poverty, and other issues that are dear to their hearts.

The whole weekend was amazing but sometimes I would catch myself feeling discouraged.

I don’t have a “thing” that I care about more than others, does that make me a bad person?

I don’t see myself making a difference.

I don’t have the opportunities to make a difference.

I’m just a college student.

I don’t have the abilities to end racism, gender equality, or help immigrants feel loved.

These were just some of the thoughts that were crowded into my head. One night while we were there, a few of us were walking around, exploring downtown-it was a whole new environment to us. It was busy, loud, and active which is very unlike our quiet Appalachian town. While walking around, we came across a homeless man sleeping on a bench, covered by a jacket, and using another as a pillow. He had nothing else with him. Our Appalachian hearts broke. We immediately decided we should help him and went back to the hotel to get coffee and food to bring to him. We laid it beside of him so he could wake up to it. We saw a problem, and we tried to fix it (or help) in whatever way we could.

St. Louis, Missouri

Even outside of our close-knit community of fellow Appalachians, our first reaction when seeing somebody in need was to help them.

The past few weeks I’ve done a lot of thinking about this small act and thinking about my discouragement that I felt on the trip. I’ve come to the realization that,

• 1) Sometimes we don’t see the results of our service. For instance, we didn’t get to see that man wake up and realize somebody had left him warm coffee on a chilly night.
• 2) You don’t need to do drastic things to change the world every day. Some days, you just need to smile at someone and that’s it.
• 3) I can’t do everything. I can’t be a full-time student and try to fix all of the things. I just have to focus on helping my own community sometimes.

That community, to me, is Appalachia. I need to take my background and the love that has been taught to me from a young age and spread it to others. I need to utilize my history and my surroundings and try to make a difference and encourage and enable others to make a difference too. The hardheadedness and determination mixed with the heart to serve and love that I have been raised to balance will equip me to hopefully make a big difference in this world.