The crossing from poor country to here

I always try to make sure my column has a point to it. I want to share a life lesson and encourage readers to live an optimistic and positive life. As for this column, I really don’t know what the point is other than I’m missing my mom and dad now … and decided to write about them. I hope you’ll allow me just this once. May I? My dad grew up in the coal mining area of deep southern Illinois. If…