How do you picture small-town life? Probably how movies and television have made it out to be. The perfect rom-com scene setter. I can safely say that my town is a classic rural small town. However, it is not the kind that is portrayed in the media. More so it is the kind of town that has nothing to do, the kind with acres of farmland, the kind with not enough people to have our own school system. However, I have found ways to romanticize my time at home.
Ready, Set, Go
My biggest go-to is taking out my car for a drive. I love exploring new corners of my town. There are roads I can drive on in my town where you won’t see a single soul for miles. It can become very therapeutic. I have found my favorite spots by taking these drives. The same can be said for taking a walk. I will take walks with my family or my dogs down the backroads and just take in the scenery. Since I live in a farming town, there are cows and horses everywhere. We even have horse crossing signs on most roads. The best thing to do is to take my dog down by the cows and just watch them.
concerts
Our town can be cheesy during the summer when we put on events in the “commons.” One of the biggest events is almost every Wednesday in the summer they host concerts in the center of town. There is a decent turnout of people and everyone just enjoys the music of our town. It is a long-time tradition and can help to find our sense of community. It feels like something right out of Gilmore Girls. This show was one of the reasons I began romanticizing my small-town life.
Sunset Season
This is the most perfect small-town living picture I could paint. The sun is setting on the town, and I am sitting on the porch swing watching the colors change, all before we move to the fire pit for the rest of the night. With spread-out houses, I am able to take in the noises of the world around me. This has been one of my favorite activities and makes me appreciate having the space around me.
Coming to love my town as I once did is still something I have to work on. But slowly I am finding little quirks about it that warm my heart.