Uneducated???? Depression???

As recently as Wednesday, I got to meet up with old friends of nearly 30 years.  Three of chose to grind out our way in life locally while one ventured to the DC/Metro area.  A recent Brookings study had listed Scranton as one of the least educated out of 100 metro areas, while DC was the highest.  Ratings were based on the number of bachelors degrees living in the area.

The topic was stirred when I posted the link on my facebook page prompting some discussion.  Ironically, it is our DC friend desiring to return to the area.  Although, a family issue is driving the potential move surprisingly it is the DC metro quality of life that may make the difference.

She had an interview at a local paper and wrote a front page story on the federal government extending unemployment benefits.  Unfortunately, the webmaster didn't do a good job posting the link.  With education or the lacking, we have to strive to become better. We have to fix it.

Unfortunately, with the extension of benefits, some elected officials are saying it prevents people from looking for jobs.  Did you ever see a job fair?  The lines extend for blocks.  One thing that isn't discussed is rejection and hope.  People don't like rejection or dejection, they need hope.  You start to lose that after a while.  We are not seeing people lose there jobs that just landed them.  This is eating away jobs people had for a decade or more, maybe even their whole lives.

Being a quarter century removed from my high school days, I have seen a few generations returning to the coal lands to live their final days for a variety of reasons.  Will my friend be able to return on her terms? Will there be quality of life left?  It will be up to us to decide.