some summer thoughts about life
Something about the nice weather makes you want to put your feet up, enjoy the breeze and ponder life. Or is that just me trying to find reasons to sit in the sunroom so I can avoid the, once again, messy house?
Last week (was it really just last week? It now feels like ages ago) it was WINTER here in the beautiful midwest. Today, my neighbor kids are playing outside in their swimsuits in the sprinkler.
Speaking of neighbor kids. I didn't grow up in town. My "neighbors" were a mile or so away. I love seeing the four kids next door playing outside with their puppy and swinging on the swings, but there's something weird about seeing someone else's personal home life just by sitting in your own backyard. Yesterday their windows were all open and you couldn't help but hear mom get really mad when one of the four did something they weren't supposed to. It's normal, nothing really extraordinary, just weird when it's people you don't really know. And I don't really like the idea of that being me someday, with neighbors watching. I may have to move back to the country someday.
But you know where I don't really want to move? Away. This strikes as a surprise more often than not. The feeling of "I-need-to-get-away-from-here" was pretty ingrained in me. ("Here" being this town and not necessarily the Midwest-because we all knew I'd come back to the Midwest now, didn't we?) And had someone told me that I'd be happy to live here, not wanting to move away, five years ago, I would placed a large bet on it, because trust me - there was NO WAY that was possible.
Or so I thought. This is what "Know how to make God laugh? Make Plans." means.
Our local paper, which used to irritate me, just did a really good two-part series on what's good about living here. They focused on both the development and recreational opportunities we have here and on the people and quality of life. I found myself reading it with pride. I'm reaching the point where I'm no longer one of those people they talk about that finds herself defending the reason she is here, though I'm still just barely reaching that point. I'm getting to where I'm proud to be here and am okay with telling others it's a good place to be, I'm finding myself defending the city rather than myself for choosing to be here.
Part of it is me and my stage of life, I admit that. But part of it is also the city, this city which is suddenly becoming almost the only place I need to shop, to go out to eat, to get some theater and culture. All that is here, maybe not to the extent some places have it, but we also don't have the traffic and crime some places do. And for me, I'd say that's a pretty good balance.
posted by yellowgirl @ 4:38 PM
2 Comments:
I grew up in town and moved to the country when I was 15. I LOVED living in town. There were always kids to play with. The city park and swimming pool were three blocks down the alley, the big summer parade came past my house and my family and all the families in the neighborhood always spent evenings at one another's houses, grownups having a couple beers on the patio while the kids played. I walked to school, my dad and I rode our bikes along the many pathways at Yankton College, we'd walk down to the football field and my dad and I would watch the high school games. I was like your neighbor kids - always outside, always playing with someone from the neighborhood, and running home at dusk when my mom opened up the door and called for me. Good times.
It's awesome you've found a place where you feel at home. And why defend it - you are not a bartender living in a college town when you're 30... and even if that was the case - hey, if that's what floats your boat, go for it!
Post a Comment
<< Home