Everyone has a different idea of what “home” is. For some, home is on the sandy shores of Florida. For others, it’s under the shining skyscrapers of New York City. Home for me is a little town with just over 13,000 people.
That might seem way too small to some people, but for me (and others), it’s perfect. Some of you might be able to relate to these six reasons to adore your small hometown.
1. Pretty much everything is within walking distance.
And I mean everything. Your job, the public library, even that little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves the best burgers you’ve ever tasted. Why waste precious gas money when you can walk five minutes to reach your destination? And anyway, a little exercise never hurt anybody.
2. You know people.
The waitress at the aforementioned burger joint. The guy who opened up the adorable ice cream parlor down the street. The tellers at the local bank all know your name. When you can walk around town and actually talk to the people who live there, you feel like you’re part of a community. It makes you feel good to support local business, especially when you know the people who own them. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re part of something big, and important. Small towns might not have the glamor of huge cities, but there’s something special about them. This is a place where people live, and you see how much they care about the town. It’s not the huge sea of people that massive cities are.
3. Your town has endless charm.
My town, like most small, old towns, is full of little quirks that make it adorable. The downtown is full of brick buildings that are older than I am. A faded advertisement for Coca-Cola adorns the side of one of the buildings. A personal favorite feature of mine is the old wrought-iron staircase that wobbles up the outside wall of an empty store. Even though it’s old, mine is one of the cutest towns I’ve ever seen. These kinds of things aren’t found in subdivisions where every house is painted the same shade of light brown. So treasure the things that make your town unique!
4. Your town is not as developed as some, so it's not as busy.
While it can be annoying to have to drive twenty minutes to the nearest Target, it is also a blessing. When everybody heads to the next town over to go shopping, it keeps your town less busy. It also offers more chances for private businesses to open up, which in turn fosters that awesome sense of community. We all love Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, but it’s also great to support a local café instead.
5. Your town is like a set straight out of Gilmore Girls.
Sometimes, your town is so picturesque, it seems fake. I’m talking Instagram-worthy photos of perfect sunsets, families riding bikes, kids walking dogs, even elderly people chatting on front porches. Your town is so cute that it even rivals Stars Hollow. So get off your couch, go take a walk around town and find your own personal Luke’s Diner. (And for those of you who haven’t seen Gilmore Girls, what is wrong with you?! It’s on Netflix. Seriously.)
6. It's your town.
Sure, your town is small. It’s where you went to high school, so you still see your friends (and enemies) around during the holidays and breaks. It’s kind of annoying when you tell new friends where you live and they have no idea what you’re talking about. But you still know that this small town will always be your home. No matter how far away you travel, or how many ancient buildings or white sand beaches you visit, you’ll always come back to the place where you started.
