There are pros an cons no matter where choose to plant our roots and raise our family, but I’m experiencing the biggest positive part of living in a small town. What I’m experiencing isn’t surprising by any means, but boy is it comforting in more ways than one.
Courtesy of Tolford Photography
The biggest asset of the small town I live in is the biggest heart and giving spirits of those who live here. Recently a group of our small towners who “believe” just took a trip to Haiti, and a Facebook fan page was created for all of us to watch their trip unfold. There were a 190+ small town fans watching our small group’s trip picture by picture. Not only was there support from back home seen on Facebook, but many of those whom went on the trip gathered donations from all of us to take down to the Haitian people.
I pass a road side collection of cans every school day morning when I take the boys to school and my heart is touched every time. A small town man with a big heart collects the aluminum cans and donates them to Shriners in Cincinnati. He has a trailer that he uses to haul the cans to Cincinnati and when that trailer gets full he makes the trip to deliver the donation. I would love to meet him sometime and see if there’s a story behind his giving heart.
Unfortunately our small town dealt with the loss of a child due to a tragic car accident recently. That is a parent’s worst nightmare and everyone whom spokes about it have tears in their eyes and have cried due to the loss. Our hearts went out to all those closely involved and prayed for peace to return to their hearts soon. I sure there will be a benefit soon to raise money to show the family that their town is grieving with them, and I hope to be a part of it whether I help organize or more simply attend.
The more I experience small town living the more it becomes a part of me. I can’t imagine living anywhere else because I’m honored to be a part of this small town even though I will always be considered an “outsider” (since I didn’t grow up here). I accept my outsider status with pride, and have embraced this small town in which I will live until God calls me home.
