I was chatting with my hairdresser this past week, and I was telling her how much I love the small town my husband and I live. I was actually trying to convince her to move here, basically because she's awesome HAHA!
This little pitch for my small town got me thinking: why do I love it so much? Is it just the Gilmore Girls vibes? Is it the sense of quaint family? I think it's all of that and more! Read on for the 3 reasons I love living in a small town.
1. Sense of Community and Familiarity
You really do begin seeing the same people all over the place, and it's LOVELY. It's so comfortable to recognize the people at the check out line, the ladies at the library, and the folks at church. I love walking my dog and feeling so familiar with everything around me. I feel as if I can walk the entire town in an hour, and it's such a quaint Star's Hollow type of vibe. I would caution however that this can be more fun for a married person. I've already found my man, so we can settle in together, make friends and get to know our neighbors. I think that if I was single, I would probably want to be in a location with more dating options, like a larger city.
2. More Opportunities to Serve
Let's face it: when you're in a small town, the pool of talent and competition is smaller. I serve on the worship team at my church even though I'm no Lauren Daigle. When I lived in a bigger city for college, the worship teams at each church were SO professional and talented with auditions and everything! Here, I don't have to be the best or a professional to put my talents to good use. I've been able to design posters for various events, coordinate a children's Vacation Bible School, and of course, help sing on the worship team. It's so nice to not have to deal with tons of competition just to volunteer and use your talents.
3. Slower Lifestyle
This is the biggest pull for me. In a small town, we don't really have a night life, traffic, or swaths of people running around. We cook at home and go to the beach for fun. In the winter, we sit by the fire and listen to music instead of rushing off to a restaurant every night. We save money, and delight in the art of conversation. This seasonal and slow living helps me find peace and relaxation at home. For us, with Grant's strange fast paced schedule and job, we find it very peaceful and relaxing to be in an environment where we can take break from all the craziness. Walking down the quiet street and seeing kids ride their bicycles truly puts me at ease. There is just less stress. Some people interpret this as boring, but I quite enjoy my semi-monkish lifestyle.
So there you have it! All these reasons make me ADORE living in a small town.
xoxo
Caitlin