It just makes me wonder, like, as a people, why are we so afraid of change or expansion or progression?

That's a great question.

Yeah.

And I don't know if I have a really good answer for that.

Because in a way, I guess I like the idea of leaving and bettering yourself is something that I feel like most Appalachians have had at some point, or maybe they've had the encouragement, but it's like in actuality, maybe it's not really encouraged.

And I think that there's just a certain comfort in like, keeping close to what you know, and like being surrounded by other people that are like you that have had the same experiences.

And you know, when when you've done that for generations, and your community has done that for generations, I mean, it feels terrifying to do something that goes against the grain or go, you know, it's not the norm.

These are your people treated as pawns in a game that they can never win.

He's basically been kind of living a double life.

Was lying.

Yeah, I, I was, I was blindsided.

I was horrified.

My entire world felt like it turned upside down.

Um, and after that betrayal, I had people in church that encouraged me to go back to him.

Um, and that started to open my eyes to maybe, maybe this is not really what I think it is.

Did his strength and his support in the place that you call home, did all that make sense to you at the time?

Can we go there for a minute? Can we talk about this?

Yeah, absolutely.

So It is very interesting.

My mom's faith journey is interesting, too.

She grew up Baptist.

Just very, you know, that's a very straight laced by the book church.

And she got a little burnt on it.

I'm