For the past couple of weeks I have been inside school systems talking to a hand-full of seniors about their future plans and where they see themselves settling down.

I have been able to successfully establish a section in our newspaper that will give local people a sense of what is to come of Franklin County in the future. When I began the section I asked principals and counselors to pick out three seniors from the current graduating class who plan to either just hang around town or plan to go to college then come back here to work and live.

Even though that was the idea in the beginning, I have since come to realize that “Franklin’s Future” could be spelled out no matter what the students decide to do after high school.

For instance, if the students go off and come back, that means their family could potentially stay here and if they decided to get married and have kids here then the future of the county won’t look so dim.

But if the students decide to go away and never come back then that could potentially — if they are a real family kind of person — take their family with them and, if the high school puppy love lasts, they could potentially take a future husband or wife away with them and his/her family could take off following them as well, kind of like a domino effect.

I know that is more or less stretching the issue, but who’s to say that would never happen. Anything is possible and its sad to say, but my hometown would be in shambles if no one decided to come back.

Not to worry though, I have interviewed 12 students so far and most all of them want to come back. There are a couple who said there is no way they are staying here because there is nothing to do here.

No offense to their dreams and aspirations, but I had those same plans and after it is all said and done I don’t regret not getting out of town when I had the chance.

I’m a big family person and they are all right here in town, with the exception of my sister who would probably move back here if her circumstances were different.

Don’t get me wrong, I encourage those who want to go follow their dreams and live their lives to the fullest in another county or even another state, but — if you are anything like me — it is possible that you could find yourself right here, making it work and making one aspect of “the dream” staying close to family, which honestly isn’t that bad if you enjoy family as much as I do.

There I have said my peace. Until next time, Later Dayz…