&uot;Once we get on the road, it will be too late to go back." Those were the words I used when I moved from Greenville to Georgia now six years ago.

Six years ago we were still waiting for Y2K and now we are five years past it.

When I moved to Georgia, I had never lived more than a couple hours from home and there I was ready to go. I remember saying to a friend, &uot;I think I’m ready to go."

She reminded me I had said that two days before and that thinking I was did not mean I was sure.

&uot;I’m sure,&uot; I said soundly and with that I gave her a hug and left and yes, it was raining.

A few years later, I had the opportunity to return home to Alabama, albeit in Montgomery and I jumped at the chance.

It put me closer to my Greenville.

In recent days I've read a lot about what Sen. Russ Feingold said about my hometown and at first I was quite outraged by his ideas.

I remember thinking this man was crazy.

Then I remembered that I had lived elsewhere for a while and that when I came home I would think aloud about how nothing ever changes here and that we'd always just be a little bitty place on the map. But somewhere along the way, the right people got into positions of authority and my little tiny hometown began to grow.

Yes, we have trailers parks here.

That's cool.

Everyone cannot live in $1 million homes on the waterfront.

Yes, we have used cars here, but we also have some lots where you can't beat the deals they offer on new cars.

Some people wear overalls, some suits and ties.

Some people speak to everyone and some speak to no one.

There are those who have and those have not so much.

But isn't that the thing that makes our society great?

We all are not the same.

We have the right to live where we want and drive what we want.

We can wear what we want.

So yes, Greenville is not the biggest city in nation and yes, we have our share of Republicans.

But hey, we have our share of Democrats too.

We have Green Party.

We have liberals, conservatives and here in Greenville, we listen to one another.

And that is how we get things done.

Hopefully, the 109th Congress will remember that as well.

Jay Thomas is managing editor of the Greenville Advocate.

He can be reached at 382-3111, ext. 136 or via email at jay.thomas@greenvilleadvocate.com.