Have you ever noticed that anyone that has grown up in a small town can’t wait to get out of there as soon as they’re old enough.  This usually happens when it’s time to go to school, or get a job.  Small towns don’t have great track records for providing plenty of gainful employment for the children that grow up there, so these ‘townies’ often flock to the bigger cities in search of work.

When I met my husband in the ‘big city’ I told him I was from a small town, to which he scoffed, and said, “That’s not a small town; I’m from a small town.”

Once I visited where he grew up, I realized he was right.  He won this one by a country mile.  The fact that it wasn’t even a city, but a village meant that the small town feel I was used to was amplified 10 fold in my husband’s village.

It’s been 6 years since visiting my husband’s hometown for the first time, and 11 years since I moved out of my own small town.  Somewhere in between I’ve realized something.  That ‘can’t wait to get out of here’ feeling is long gone.

There’s something special about spending time in a small town.  It’s quaint.  It’s friendly.  It’s like going to rehab even though you don’t have an addiction.

The big city is great for all it has to offer, but leaving the traffic behind and saying goodbye to the hustle and bustle is more refreshing that anything a big city patio can serve up on a hot summer’s day.

What do I love about a small town?

I love that you can get anywhere you need to be in well under 10 minutes.  Forget the car, just take your bike!

I love that if you’re from there, everyone knows you because you’re so-and-so’s son/daughter/cousin/friend/neighbour, and if you’re not from there; everyone knows you, because, ‘You’re not from around these parts.’

I love that people in small towns seem to spend significantly more time outside than inside.

I love that friends and neighbours walk right into the house and yell ‘Hello!” instead of waiting outside for someone to answer.

I love that people stop by for no reason all. the. time.

I love that when you walk into the local gym everyone turns and says, “G’Mornin’!“

And my personal favourite….

I love that when you walk into the bar, that’s not much bigger than your kitchen, someone throws you a pair of spoons and tells you to join the band.

It just doesn’t really get any better than that, now does it?