"The town that everyone seems to complain about, but no one seems to leave."

If I could sum up my hometown in one sentence, that would totally be it.

Most people have never even heard of my town because it's so small. Whenever I go some place more than an hour away and I'm asked where I'm from, I'll say the nearest "big" town or city.

And I hate everything about it.

I come from a little town full of farm fields and one single stop light. My graduating class was about 100 people, and most of their parents graduated from the very same high school, Including my mom.

You really can't turn a corner without seeing someone you know, or someone your parents know. Everyone knows what you're up to, so even if you think your parents don't know about that party you were at last weekend, they probably do.

But they can't really blame you... In a town with one stop light and a gas station, what else is there to do?

Absolutely nothing.

We don't even have a grocery store. If you want that, you have about a 10 minute drive.

The mall? You've got about a 20-minute drive.

On the brighter side of things, if you want to visit one of your friends there's a good chance their house is in walking distance of yours.

Living in a small town has been a grade A pain in my ass, but I have learned to deal with it, and grown to love some things about it.

I mean, how many people in a big city can make it to school by 7:40 when they left their house at 7:38?

And...

You really can't beat watching the sunrise with no buildings in the way.

Or watching the sunset while driving down a back road.

Or waving to your friends at the one stoplight.

...Knowing all of the cops is kinda nice too.

Sure, you'll have to duck from your ex occasionally, or plug your nose because there was a fresh rain and the fields stink, but living in a small town can be a pretty big blessing.