Small-Town Adventures

People have differing opinions on what it’s like to live in a small town and throughout my life, I’ve had differing opinions myself.  When I was little, I loved it.  Living in a small town allowed me to ride my bike to Grandma’s house every day in the summer.  It allowed me to walk across a major street to the local Dairy Queen for a sweet treat.  I felt safe and secure in my little Beaver Dam bubble.

Then the teenage years hit and Beaver Dam somehow shrunk in size.  There were only 2 movies showing in town and the only other thing to do was go to the mall.  Aside from those activities, the town didn’t offer much else.  Once I got my driver’s license, things opened up just a bit more.  Madison was only 45 minutes away, but I needed permission to make that trip.  A definite benefit of small-town life was the fact that I could drive my car to the local service station, fill it up and just say “Put it on Art’s tab” and they knew exactly who I meant and just said “ok”.

Going to college, I got the chance to live in a much bigger city – Eau Claire.  There was always something to do. Always somewhere to go. But it seemed impersonal. People didn’t know me and didn’t know my family. It was fun for a time, but I missed my safe harbor.

After college, I moved to the Milwaukee area and again, it was fun because there was always something to do, somewhere to go, and a new place to eat, but still it didn’t feel like home.  

Finally, after the kids started coming, I made it back to my safe harbor and my kids then got to enjoy the comforts that small-town living can provide. They didn’t always enjoy it like I did. Like the time I was passing Nathan’s 5th grade Sunday school classroom and he yelled “Hi Mom”.  His teacher said, “That’s your mom?? I know your mom.  I’ve known your mom for quite some time”.  Nathan had thought he was being funny until he heard that.  The kids often joke that when they meet someone, if they don’t know their mom or dad, they know one of their grandparents.  They can’t get away with anything.

So, while small-town life may feel like a never-ending loop of Dairy Queen runs, Sunday school reunions, and “Put it on Art’s tab,” there’s something about that familiarity that sticks with you. You can try to escape it, but good luck hiding from the eyes (and gossip) of the whole town. In the end, though, there’s a certain comfort in knowing your neighbors, your kids’ teachers, and even the gas station attendants. After all, when the world gets too big, sometimes it’s nice to know your safe harbor is just a bike ride away.

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