I grew up in Sugar Grove, IL. Doesn't sound familiar? I'm not surprised. The world is sprinkled with small communities that we rarely hear about on the news. Does that mean they're less important than the big cities? Of course not. Add up all of those small town folk from across the globe, and you'll realize there's more of us than you'd think. If you relate to these signs, you might be one of us.
1. Watching the weather on TV, your town's name never showed up on the map.
Where are we? Is that storm going to hit us? I think we're a little bit to the left of *insert larger, more relevant town name*.
2. No one has heard of it.
So many blank stares.
3. You usually say where you are in relation to some big city.
We're about 40 miles west of Chicago. Yes, Chicago. That one should ring a bell.
4. You and your friends sometimes ran out of things to do.
"We could go to..."
"We went there yesterday. And the week before that..."
5. There's row upon row of some type of crop stretched for miles.
If you're from Gatlin, Nebraska, you had quite the intimate relationship with corn. I, personally, am quite sick of seeing it.
6. Going to any major store or restaurant required getting in the car for a drive.
Buckle up, it's 45 minutes to the mall.
7. Getting a McDonald's (or some other chain) in town was a big deal.
We have a Dunkin' now? Sweeeeeet.
8. It was inevitable to run into familiar faces when you were out and about.
Anywhere you went, you were bound to see at least one person you knew. It was cool when it was a friend, but most of the time was awkward.
9. Most of the town's teenagers hated living there.
Let's face it. Teenager that can't wait to get out of their small towns are a dime a dozen. Then again, teenagers hate almost everything.
10. You either have a strong inclination to leave or stay forever.
Living in a small town teaches you very quickly if it's the life for you or not. Some may hate it and wish to travel or live the city life. Others may find comfort living in such a close-knit community.
I'm the latter. Growing up in a small town and then going to college in a city has made it clear to me that I want to return to my roots. I wouldn't trade the fresh air, peace, and quiet for the world.
