While visiting family in Oregon I was struck by the simplicity of small town life. I used to live this life and forgot how different it is from the life I live now.We left this small town for the promise of a brighter future in California. Now, let me say, I know God lead us to California and our life as a family was forever changed for the better by that move. It was not easy as we left my family and loved ones. But I know for us, we were meant to leave and forge a new life in a new culture.
The hustle and bustle of the Bay Area in California is certainly a different pace from small town USA. There are so many things I love about living in the Bay; the mild weather, beautiful scenery, cultural events, all the excitement living near San Francisco brings. You can easily find fresh local produce, organic and hormone free food, amazing restaurants. There is a continual barrage of things to do. But with this came the need to take all of this in. Make it part of our lives. With so many things available to us, we can't possibly ever do everything because our lives have become so busy. There are so many things to care about; education, business, work, health, exercise, kids activities, sports, spiritual life, giving, helping others. Just the larger volume of people to see and be friends with and events to partake in just make my life feel like it is busting at the seams. It is beautiful and full of adventure, but sometimes I get soooo busy, I forget how wonderful it all is.
When I return to this small town of 10,000 people, the place where three of my children were born, I remember the good things. Days of leisure, 5 minute drives to get to anywhere in town, driving through the countryside, the big sky, the whole town coming out for football games or firework shows. A sense of community and belonging. And time...time to connect, time to sit without distraction, to visit with loved ones.
I want to take this simple living lifestyle, peel away the habit I have learned to have to "do" something all the time and insert it into the beautiful life I have here. It will take practice and actually some discipline. I will learn to say no to some things in order to fully experience the things I say yes to.
Living simply is a choice and not a location!
xoxo,
Carol
Love this post. I have to say I am a 100% city girl. I need the hustle and bustle to feel alive and invigorated. I love crowded streets and lights and seeing a hundred different shades of people as I live.
ReplyDeleteHi Emilie! Thanks. I know what you mean, I only can take it in small bits. I love living close enough to San Francisco to be able to get that fix. Although my favorite big city is New York! Are you moving to Salt Lake City or close? I think it is a pretty big city isn't it?
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