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IT’S ANOTHER AIRPLANE DAY

"I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God.... The Holy Bible, 1 Timothy 2:1-3
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Today is Saturday, another airplane day! As I am listening to the ever present screaming of jet engines overhead each and every 30 seconds I am reminded of why I bought my house 24 years ago in historic Arden, Delaware. There was no highway in the sky in 1980.

Arden is sort of a crazy place. It has its own laws and it’s own peculiar way of thinking about the world. We do crazy things. Our town insists that residents ask permission before cutting down a tree. Our instincts for preservation are legend. Some years ago Arden was awarded a coveted place on the National Register of Historic Places because we love the past, not for it’s own sake but rather because so much of what we have lovingly preserved makes for a pleasant and wonderful life. We do like to preserve things in Arden. We have a history museum to keep records and memories of our community which go back to the 1908 when it was founded by George Stephens of Philadelphia. Most recently the town of Arden purchased a property adjacent to our town land just to provide a natural buffer to development. This property becomes part of our precious Sherwood Forest and will provide one of two buffer zones separating Arden from the encroachment of insistent sprawl. Arden residents savor that separateness which in some ways permits us to taste our own individualities and our own yearnings for a calmer more peaceful life even in the midst of this hectic northeast corridor..

Of course we pay some of the highest property taxes in the County. We pay high taxes to be able to enjoy many open spaces and green areas, walking paths, playgrounds and community buildings. We have what many people envy which is a real Community of people who know each other and care for each other. And residents here, while most are far from wealthy, are willing to pay to maintain this life style they earnestly cherish.

My next door neighbor was so concerned for the environment, he even brought our community to pay attention to the runoff from industrial and home development originating way upstream on Naaman’s Creek (Arden’s northern town buffer zone), The runoff was causing unacceptable flooding several miles downstream in our own community. He was a little crazy. He thought “ the environment” in microcosm and macrocosm was important to preserve and to properly steward. And one thing he noticed was that the law of “cause and effect” or as the bible puts it, “sowing and reaping” was a law that could not be rebuked just because it was being abused by contemporary society.

Now that we have this troublesome airplane highway overhead day and night. I had almost forgotten why we bought our home in Arden so long ago. More than twenty five years ago, the community valiantly and more or less successfully fought the expansion of Harvey Road and exit ramps onto I- 95. Sometimes I wonder how much it would cost to now buy back our airspace?

Susan Warner , Arden, DE
10/23/04

www.delawareonline.com : The News Journal : LOCAL : Airport noise, pollution keys in 7th  ¶ 11/02/2004