The main question we want you to address is: What do you think and feel about Muncie?
Everyday life in Middletown:
- How long have you lived here? If you were not born here, indicate where you came from and why.
I moved to Muncie for my job. I didn’t actually expect that I would like it here – honestly, I was hoping (maybe even praying to a god I don’t believe in) that I wouldn’t get this job. It was/is my dream job, and I knew if I were offered the job I’d take it, but that meant I would be moving across the country from my husband … again! We’d already lived 3,000 miles apart for 3 years, and I wasn’t eager to do it again. When I was offered the job, and it offered a reasonable salary (a reason I would have declined it), I cried. Bawled, actually. Of course I was going to take it, and as excited as I was for this amazing opportunity, it absolutely broke my heart.
I made the long drive from Washington to Indiana alone, and got to Muncie very late Saturday night. The next morning I made my way to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Muncie. I was sad, alone, and I didn’t want a repeat of my desperately lonely years in Pennsylvania. I knew I needed the chance to get to know folks from Muncie right away, and since it was Sunday and my relationship with Christian churches is fraught and painful, the UUCM it was! I met an absolutely amazing, dynamic woman the moment I stepped into the sanctuary; she welcomed me, introduced me, checked up on me, and made my transition to Muncie unbelievably easy.
- Are you happy with where you live? Do you feel like you belong?
Over the last 3 years, I have developed a strong, dedicated group of friends who feel more like family than any friends ever have. We’ve supported each other through buying homes, opening businesses, sad losses, and happy reunions. I know, without a doubt, that when I’m in need, they are there for me, just as I am there for them. I’ve never experienced friendship like this before, and they are why Muncie feels like home. But even beyond them, I find myself more and more in love with Muncie. People usually don’t believe me when I say that, but it’s true. Muncie is absolutely struggling, without a doubt, but it’s also filled with people who love their community and are willing to work hard to make it a great place to live. That’s infectious. That’s hopeful. That’s what makes me love Muncie. It’s a different perspective than most people I come across,
- Do you expect to stay here for long? What are or will be some of the considerations in deciding how long you stay here?
Of course, those aren’t the things that make for a really great vacation spot. I always tell people who come to visit that, “Muncie is a great place to live, but not awesome to visit.” There isn’t a lot going on – there aren’t great restaurants, events, or sights, but I’m here, so they come anyway! My family and friends have to get used to it, also, because we’re planning to stay in Muncie for the foreseeable future. We just bought a house and are planning to start a family soon. I’ve moved more than 26 times in my life, and I’ve finally found the place where I’m going to put down roots. It’s exciting and scary.
One of the reasons it’s scary is because I don’t know what the future holds for Muncie. Let’s be honest, it could really suck. There is a lot of difficulties in our future – corruption, antagonism between the community and the university, poor public image, continuing population decline, poor quality school systems, plant closing after plant closing … if we are going to make it – not just to thrive, but to merely survive – we need better leadership. Our first big test will be in November – are we willing to elect a mayor that isn’t part of the generations of corruptions? Are we willing to elect a mayor who is willing to be honest and fair? Are we willing to elect a mayor who thinks outside the box, and works hard for the future of Muncie? We haven’t in decades, but let’s hope the political and social moment has forced us to wake up a bit and be more critically engaged in our local elections. Let’s hope.