26.2 Miles in Harmony: Families Living the American Dream

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate

My 26.2-mile run through the Harmony section of Middletown took me through Countryside Park, past Crystal Pond, Harmony Elementary School, around Thorne Middle School, Target on 35 & Palmer, and mile after mile of residential streets, cul-de-sacs, and suburban neighborhoods.

Somewhere along the way, a thought occurred to me – “Congratulations, Harmony residents. You appear to be living the American dream.”  Mile after mile, street by street, I saw the American dream that generations of people have worked toward: a nice house, a good yard, great schools, sidewalk-lined streets, and places for the kids to play.  

Harmony may be the most purely suburban section of Middletown. Much of it is a collection of subdivisions, with many cul-de-sacs, all connected by sidewalk-lined streets, with an abundance of basketball hoops in driveways.  Admittedly stereotypical, but house after house I saw a pickup truck for Dad, and an SUV for Mom – side by side in the driveway, sometimes with a bonus motorcycle, boat, or jet ski sitting ready for the next weekend adventure.  I often saw a nice swing hanging from a big tree in the front yard, near manicured flower gardens. I noticed trampolines in the backyard next to elaborate playsets equipped with spiral slides, swings, climbing bars, and forts that probably look enormous to the children who climb into them.  Also, there are a lot of swimming pools!  

White vinyl fences often create privacy, separating one backyard from the next and framing what looks like a suburban paradise.  These are neighborhoods designed around families!  I can see it around Harmony Elementary and Thorne Middle School. I can see it in the sidewalks and crosswalks connecting neighborhoods. 

I enjoy these marathon runs through Middletown. When I cover 26.2 miles on foot, I see things differently. I notice what a neighborhood was built around, how little creeks break up street layouts. I see where people gather, where families walk, and what makes one section of Middletown feel different from another.

Harmony feels quintessentially suburban, so comfortable, established, and family-centered.

Of course, the American dream isn't entirely a house on a cul-de-sac, owning a boat, having a nice pickup truck, fenced property lines, swings on trees, backyard swimming pools, or basketball hoops - those are just the outward signs. The real dream is creating a stable place where families can raise their children, where neighbors know one another, where kids can get a good education, where streets are safe, and where people feel the work they put into building a life has been worth it. Our schools are a big part of that.  

Harmony Elementary and Thorne Middle School are an essential part of the community infrastructure that makes the surrounding area what it is. Families organize years of their lives around those schools. Friendships begin there. Kids grow up there. Property values and community identity are tied to them.

Running through Harmony reminded me that sometimes the most important parts of Middletown aren't the historic landmarks, parks, shops, or dramatic waterfront views. Sometimes it is simply a quiet street with sidewalks, a basketball hoop in the driveway, kids playing in the backyard, and a family building a life.

As far as I am concerned, Harmony provides a pretty good picture of the American dream.