Before you continue on to read these 10 reasons, I want to preface this piece by admitting that I used to be the stereotypical girl that itched to leave my small town. I hated waking up everyday knowing that I was going to see the same faces. The faces that I've known since I was born and the faces that know every little thing about me and my family. These faces are etched in mind for the rest of my life. I've been out of my small town now for 3 years, and while I'm glad I've experienced other places, I can't help but notice how growing up in a small town has shaped who I am. You truly don't realize what you have until it's gone. Here are some of the main reasons why I'm so beyond thankful that I grew up in a small town.
1. You have an army of support. Don't get me wrong, there will be that one or two people who you just don't seem to click with, but overall, you have an overwhelming amount of people who will have your back no matter what. It's like a live version of Facebook. Instead of getting a post on your "wall," you receive phone calls daily, cards in the mail, or knocks on the door. It doesn't matter if it's something like passing a driver's test or getting into college, you will receive a congratulations from almost everyone in your town. And you return that support to everyone else; it goes without saying.
2. There's always someone that can help. Do you need an oil change? My brother can get that done for you. Do you need a haircut? My mom's best friend accepts walk-ins in her salon. Do you need to borrow literally anything? Just go next door to the neighbor. There is always someone that can fix your issues. And almost always you are guaranteed to know the person that can help. Living in a small town is a constant exchange of favors.
3. You learn the importance of community. As mentioned in my second reason, living in a small town there is a constant exchange of favors. You quickly learn that life is better when you work together. I think one of the best examples, is the saddest of examples. When an individual in the community is sick, everyone rallies immediately to help in any way they can. We throw benefits, we bake food, we provide help, we do literally anything that is asked upon us. In the back of our minds, we know that when the time comes, that same community of people will be there for us.
4. You're a hard worker. When school is out for the summer, it doesn't mean that the kids are free to have fun. In fact, it means that there's more time to get a job. Whether it's working in the corn fields, serving ice cream, picking strawberries, etc... we were expected to keep moving. There was no exceptions for being lazy. We were taught that you must work hard to earn what you want. So, if we wanted to go to a concert or the movies, we better work hard that week before to earn the money to do so. This is something that had paid off for me when working through college and starting my career.
5. You don't take luxurious things for granted. I mean for starters, our idea of fun is running through cornfields. It doesn't take much to entertain us. The littlest things were the biggest things to us. We enjoy our little county fair in the summers, or our town parties. These were the things that we looked forward to. You don't hear things such as "the food wasn't good," or "I wish there would have been 'xyz.' " We take nothing for granted, and when we do get a little bit of luxury we enjoy the hell out of it!
6. You can keep your car doors unlocked. Not only is your car unlocked, but just about everything else is too. Knock on wood, there isn't a lot of crime that takes place in a small town, but when something does it happen, there is bound to be a few witnesses.
7. Grew up fast. We were all driving SOMETHING by the time we were able to walk. You were also in the kitchen helping your mom cook dinner, set the table, and do the dishes. Don't forget the chore list you were left with each day. We all knew what it was like to be an adult years before we had anything to worry about.
8. The stars are significantly brighter. If you've never stood in the middle of an open field to watch the stars at night, I 10/10 recommend. This is something that you cannot experience in the city, and I truly miss this beautiful view.
9. I've known my friends literally since they were born. Not only is this true for me, but most likely my parents went to school with their parents. When I say I know literally everything about my best friend, I truly mean it. I know some people better than they know themselves. It truly is a bond that can never be broken.
10. Small businesses matter. When you are so closely connected with the people in your town, then you know who owns each and every business. This, combined with the fact that you are apart of a strong community, means you automatically want these businesses to succeed. You intentionally go out of your way to give your business to these people, because these are the businesses of keep your town alive.
You simply learn so many life lessons living in a small town that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. To those of you who want out, I'm not trying to convince you to stay. However, I encourage you to think about all that you have gained from your community. Be thankful for where you come from, and even if you move away, don't forget to visit!
