It has come to my attention that First Liberty Building and Loan in Newnan has shuttered its doors and this is having huge repercussions in our community–Coweta County and beyond.
The issue with this type of news is that I, Harold of Newnan, don’t understand rich business lawyer terms. Thankfully, I have a wonderful mommy and daddy that said they’d sit me down and explain it.
In fact, they were already planning to have a serious talk with me today so the timing is perfect!
Harold, sometimes things change. Mommy and Daddy used to live together in the same room, but now we live in two different rooms. We don’t live together anymore because Mommy and Daddy decided it was best to live apart. But even though we will live in different places, we both love you soooo much. More than all the stars in the sky and fishies in the sea!
Sometimes when families change like this, it can feel a little scary or confusing. That’s OK! It’s OK to feel afraid or nervous sometimes. You might miss one of us or wonder why things are different. And that’s okay! Mommy and Daddy understand. We’re here to give you big hugs whenever you need them and as many cheek kisses as can fit on your perfect cheeks!
Now, I want to tell you about something else that happened to some other grown-ups and a place called First Liberty. This isn’t about Mommy and Daddy, but it’s a story about people and families and trust and how important that is, OK?
You know what a building and loan is, sweetheart?
It’s this place where people in a community all put their piggy banks together to help each other buy homes and build fun new things with real LEGO bricks. It’s not about getting rich. It’s about believing in each other, in building something together that lasts. People don’t always have the money right away, but if they stick together and if they trust each other then they can build.
And when your dad and I first got together, we were kind of like that Building andLoan. We didn’t have everything figured out, but we believed in each other. We built a life, a home, and most importantly, we built you, Harold. And that’s the most beautiful thing we ever made together. More beautiful than all the stars in the sky and fishies in the sea!
But sometimes people change. Or maybe they just grow in different directions. Or maybe they were always a bad boy but mommy just now found out. So the thing we were building, it doesn’t feel the same anymore. We stop seeing the beauty we are building and start seeing what we’ve loaned to make it happen.
I still care about your dad. I always will. He’s part of this family. But love like the kind of love that holds two people together, the way a building and loan holds a town together has changed. I’m not in love with him anymore. And that’s hard to say. But being honest is part of love too. First Liberty isn’t so good at being honest.
We’re going to figure this out, okay? Together. The way we always do. Because even if your dad and I aren’t the same kind of ‘us’ anymore, we’re still your parents. That’s an us that will never go away, OK?
First Liberty was a big place where lots of grown-ups gave their money. Money is what grown-ups use to buy things like food, clothes, toys, hotel rooms for daddy, and two Christmases! They are very important.
First Liberty told everyone,
“If you give us your money, we’ll keep it safe and even give you back more money later! We will be with you forever and ever, til death do us part!” That sounded like a really nice promise, didn’t it? But grown-ups can’t always keep their promises. Daddy’s and Mommy’s, too.So lots of mommies, daddies, grandmas, and grandpas gave their money to First Liberty. They trusted First Liberty to take care of their money, hoping to get more back to help their families and have the biiiiiiiiggest Christmases ever! Bigger than all the stars in the sky and fishies in the sea!
But then one day, First Liberty said,
“We’re closing now. We can’t give your money back anymore.” And they sent all the moneys to timeout. But a far away timeout that no one knows how to get out of. Ultimate Timeout.That made a lot of people very sad and worried. Imagine if you gave your best teddy bear to a friend to keep safe, and then your friend disappeared and never gave it back. That would make your heart hurt, right? Not knowing if Teddy is on the top bunk, bottom bunk, or in a ditch somewhere in Alabama.
Because this was such a no-no-oopsie-bad, some very nice friends called the FBI and SEC came to figure out what happened. Those people are like the daddy’s of daddy’s. They wear suits even when they don’t have to–just because. They looked at lots and lots of papers and computers to find out if someone wasn’t being honest. Like if daddy was at one place but said he was at work instead.
Even the biggest daddies who help run the world started asking questions, because some of the people who owned First Liberty were friends with them. And you shouldn’t ever lie or trick your friends or family.
The grown-ups who gave their money felt scared, sad, and confused. Some cried, some got angry, but most of all, they held onto their families really tight. Just like Mommy holds you tight when you fall down or feel upset. Tighter than all the stars in the sky and fishies in the sea!
And that’s kind of like what happened with Mommy and Daddy when we decided not to live together anymore. It was a big change and it made all of us feel a little scared and sad. But even when things change, our love for you never changes. It’s always there, like a big hug from mommy and daddy when you fall off your bike.
So, my sweet baby, remember that sometimes grown-ups make mistakes or bad things happen. But our love and family are forever. No matter what, Mommy and Daddy love you more than anything in the whole wide world. We will always be here for you, even if we live in different houses.
And if you ever feel sad or confused, you can always come to Mommy or Daddy for a big hug and a listening ear. We’re here to help you feel safe and loved. Loved more than all the stars in the sky and fishies in the sea!
Newnan Time with Harold 