Mississippi Magic & Mother Goose

A group of amazing ladies in Columbus, Mississippi taught me important lessons on HOW TO appreciate their town.

As a travel writer focused on the southeastern United States, my first tier of attention is art, architecture, and food. The second tier is nature and anything that captures my imagination or brings me unexpected joy.  

 For my time in Columbus, Mississippi the joy would be based on design details of Victorian buildings, ingredient details of local culinary delights, and a smattering of prescheduled interviews… maybe!

Meeting Friendly Folks

After enjoying the smell of early morning mist on the Tombigbee River, my morning goal was to photograph outdoor shots of homes, churches, and murals  . Lunch at the Farmstead Restaurant followed and included sausage, peppers, onions, and fried okra. Three friendly servers saw my Canon camera and began telling me of great nearby photo ops. They suggested a train displayed at the neighborhood park, a nearby thrift store, and the Angel of Grief at Friendship Cemetery.

Then they asked whether I had met Mother Goose.  Admitting that this was unfamiliar brought a flood of enthralling stories about this local celebrity.

The next day I talked with Jan from the arts council and Emily from a local bookstore. Next was Hope from a local museum, and Barbara from a preservation organization. Their helpfulness was so sweet and unfeigned that it was almost magical. They spoke in deeply respectful, almost reverential, tones about the literary significance of two people. One was Tennessee Williams, who was born here. The other was Eudora Welty, who attended college here at the “W”. Then they asked if I had met Mother Goose. Okay, now this was seriously piquing my curiosity.

Listening…Really Listening!

Taking time to listen to the fabulous stories of many Columbus residents became just as important as exploring the town. Their relaxed and friendly manner became just as captivating as their lovely Mississippi accents. Drifting off that night in my hotel, I was sure that these fascinating people in this beautiful town were casting a blithesome spell on me.  What serendipitous pleasures would tomorrow bring?

What that next and final day in town did bring was a tour of the Tennessee Williams House and Welcome Center given by Nancy and Lillajo.  How was it possible that each person encountered on this trip seemed more knowledgeable and more gracious  than the ones before? Their excitement and pride in sharing about the writer and his first home convinced me to absolutely  reread his works, and the sooner the better.

Nancy shared a wealth of facts about local attractions, sporting events, and the local military base.   She works in tourism and had created a tagline, “Columbus, the city that has it all.”  Listening to her soothing southern accent as she spoke those seven words, my inclination was to totally agree. This town of Columbus, Mississippi does make a delightful destination where anyone could find relaxation. It was like a drink of restorative and magical medicine for my body, mind, and spirit.

Of course, as we parted ways, she asked if I had met Mother Goose.

It Is Time!

Heading for my final appointment of the trip, to learn more about Barbara and the grassroots organization  she directs, I stopped to take a photo at the corner of Main and 7^th streets. There a utility box had been painted to honor and celebrate Edwina Williams who is known as a local treasure and the personification of Mother Goose. If we were not to meet, at least that photo would be a sweet reminder of how the community obviously adores her.

The meeting with Barbara went well. She gave me several reasons  to want to return to this incredibly charming town. After a supremely satisfying interview, she said she had one final surprise for me. She phoned her office manager and simply said, “It is time.”

The door opened and in stepped Mother Goose! She called my name and hugged me as though we were dear friends. For the next hour she laughed, sang, and told her story. It was about literacy, heart, and happiness. More than once, my eyes filled with true tears of joy while taking notes. I knew on that day that I would forever be grateful to the lovely ladies of Columbus for showing me a glimpse of their world. Each one gave me another lesson on how to listen to the personal stories and appreciate the layers of joy and beauty in this great town. They opened my eyes to Mississippi magic and Mother Goose!

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Dang, y’all… can you feel that magic now? PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE!

Some links to help YOU plan your visit to Columbus, Mississippi:

Main Street Columbus (Barbara Bigelow)https://www.msmainstreet.com/communities/main_street_columbus

Visit Columbus (Nancy Carpenter)http://www.visitcolumbusms.org/

Columbus Arts (Jan Miller)http://columbus-arts.org/

Friendly City Books (Emily Liner)https://www.friendlycitybooks.com/

Tenn-Tom Museum (Hope Oakes)https://www.tenntom.org/ttw-museum/

Farmstead (on Facebook)https://www.facebook.com/Farmstead-Restaurant-165176093594541/

Public Library (Mother Goose)https://www.lowndeslibrary.com/mother-goose