If you grew up in a small town, then I am almost 100 percent positive you have said the one phrase that every single teenager has said: “I cannot wait to leave this town”.

To those who lived this reality, we grew up in a town where no one is a stranger. Almost any time you would go out, you would see someone that you know. Every generation has had their hangout spot, and they included every place from the Walmart parking lot to Frostee Freeze to get a shake. You may be convinced that the city is so much better than a small town, and that may be true for some. But I want you to take a minute and remember the reasons we should appreciate life in a small town.

I have been to Philadelphia, Orlando, Atlanta, and New York City. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the trips. There is so much that can be experienced in the city and--best of all--there is food readily available at every corner.

This is great, but what if your car breaks down? You aren’t going to just see a person you graduated with out in town that could help you out. What if you want to go for a drive on a Friday afternoon? In a big city, "good luck with that" is all I'll say! The great things about our small towns are how personable they are. People are always there to help you if you are in need. To say it plainly, people are just there for each other.

Many times, if you go to see someone, then you are driving through the country to see them. If you have never experienced it, then it may sound very minor to you, but coming from someone who has lived it for all of my life, there is just something wonderful about driving off the highway and seeing the trees changing to red, yellow, and orange in the fall. Most of the time, you will pass fields full of new calves running and playing and gardens that are so large you have to turn your head all the way around to see them. I love the sight of skyscrapers and the incredibly designed buildings, but there is just something about being back home that fills that void.

The community that you find is small towns is the other great thing that you just don’t see happening in cities. No matter if the the teams are 1-12 or 12-1, the high school games will be jam packed every single night--the communities love to support their small town teams. I know that city teams are loved, but there is something so different when you go to a game where the kids have all played 2 or 3 sports together since they were 4. The community has watched these kids grow up playing together, watched them all grow and develop to the athletes they are.

Another sense of community that we all see is when someone becomes sick or loses a loved one. I know in my town, anytime tragedy happens, whether you deeply cherish, or don’t even know the person, everyone comes together and rallies around them to help them through it. I have never lived in the city, so I cannot speak for what these situations are like there, but I know that my home town is unlike anywhere else.

I know that the city is great. I love to go and see everything. I just know that everyone should get to experience life in a small town.

C.Long