I moved to small (to me) towns off and on over my working years, and was held at arms length and was not made welcome. Especially when I moved from Las Vegas to a midwest town. Just the name Las Vegas conjured up fantasies for the people in the town and sometimes a person would stop me on the sidewalk to ask me a stupid question about my life in Las Vegas. I think half of them believed I was either a hooker when I lived in Las Vegas or part of the "mob". One man accosted me in the small grocery store in the produce section. I had never seen this man in my life. He sidled up to me, speaking in a confidential manner, telling me he would set me up in a house rent-free for life if I would be his girlfriend, and by the way, he and the other men offering similar "opportunities" were married men. Some lonely widowers would come to the cafe where I worked for awhile, bringing little gifts to me that I graciously refused. I was the talk of the town the first year I lived there, and a lonely person.
Fast forward twenty years to when I moved to this little town a year ago, to find the reception welcoming and calm. I use the word "calm" over and over these days. It is something I have wanted in my life since I was born into an angry, yelling, physically violent family. That is many years behind me and more than just years have been placed between me and those memories. Replaced by my present time of serenity within my soul, manifesting in my being and grateful heart.
I took the photo of the VFW hall. Sometime I will check out their Bingo Night.
17 comments:
My town is not a big one but has around 40,000 people in it. I am thinking that my estate must be bigger than your town!
My wife grew up in a village (probably only around 100 people) - anyone who had been there less than 20 years was "new" and an outsider. Glad your new town is more open than that.
Sadly, a girl from Vagas will conjure up an instant image for most people...
I like a small town as long as it's close to a big town.
Rock Chef, 40,000 people is a medium size town. Out here there are small towns of a few hundred dotted among the farms and fields. There are two towns in east/west directions from where I live that have over 50,000 people in them. And larger markets and lots of restaurants. But the people in this town pull together and want to support this town. There are small villages like where your wife grew up all around here too.
Otin, The peace and calm in a small town is what I seek, and you are right, if there is a larger town nearby, you can have the best of both.
We live in Bellingham, a medium sized town. It's just right for me, and I see the same people every day on my rounds. If I step out a little and do something different, I see different people. I think your small town in perfect for you.
I'm surprised that these men didn't realize that regular people live in Las Vegas, too. :-)
Been thinking about you!
I was in a small town in Kansas.
I loved it - in a way.....
But I like the hustle and bustle of the big city!
VFW hall - brings back some memories.
Wow that was some little town you lived in 20 years ago. I wonder if the people improved their thinking over the past 20 years. I've only been to Las Vegas once and enjoyed it. I compare it to Disney World for adults but it did not seem that sleazy when I was there. Fake yes.
My hometown here is small too, like yours, under 1,ooo residents. Back in 1954, according to the old set of World Book Encyclopedias I had back then, it said our population here was 904 -or maybe it was 909 -a number in that vicinity anyway. Almost 60 years later now, our population has decreased a lot over those decades and it shows by the number of for sale signs on houses, places boarded up, others falling into states of disarray too. Sixty years ago, we had two fairly large general stores, a restaurant, two social clubs, a bar and a post office along with what were still thriving businesses dealing in the coal mining industry. Today, all that remains in that respect is one social club! The bar closed its doors forever the end of October, the post office went away 17 years ago! You can't even get a quart of milk here unless you have a vehicle or someone to transport you at least 5 miles to the closest store! It's a sad sight in many ways to see a small town shrinking more and more almost by the day. We're very much a senior citizen type community now here -don't even see many children out and about playing like there always was when I was a kid either. But still, I love it here because most of the people who live near by me are folks I've known virtually forever and who are my own surrogate family now as well. I like to think of my village as being quiet but welcoming to newcomers although for the most part, getting acquainted does seem to usually mean the new people make the first move to give an outstretched hand in greeting old-timers. But once an acquaintance has been made, unless the newbies indulge in things that the older ones frown on or are really unfriendly, friendships usually spring up easily enough then. (I say like my late aunt said of her hometown -"They'll have to carry me out of here on a slab to get me out of this place!" Like her, I do love my little hometown. Been here close to 70 years now so guess that says something, doesn't it?)
DJan, a year ago I wasn't sure about some of the customs in this small town. Like waving to each person you pass, driving and walking. Now I do it too and am comfortable with it. I see the same people over and over, but that is because there aren't that many people here.
Anne, glad your experience in a small town in Kansas was better than mine. I have lived in enough big cities; now I want the calm.
Bill, VFW hall is something new for me. Lots of people I know here go each Thursday night to the Bingo there. I may try it soon. I thought I was years away from the Bingo Brigade, guess not.
Jeni, 70 years in one village would indeed make the neighbors your surrogate family. I hope to fit into this little town like that and make them my family.
I'm so glad you found a place that brings you peace and contentment. And it must be a wonderful feeling to be embraced and welcomed by the community. That is such a rare thing in this world of faced-paced, too-busy-to-care people.
I've heard it said we should be grateful for bad experiences because they are supposed to reveal to us areas within that we need to correct. But I guess I'm not that evolved. Sometimes, people can be downright stupid and crass. You have worked hard and created a better place both within and without. What an inspirational evolution!
PS: You asked if that one photo was wood shavings. Actually, it was a stump of what I think was some kind of palm tree.
I think I'm ideally suited for small town life. We thought, when we moved here 35 years ago, this was going to be smaller than what we were escaping from. It didn't take too many years, before this was much more bustling than we ever hoped it would be.
In some small town, "small" refers to people's minds-- like the guy in the market. Sheesh.
We have a VFW in my small hometown too. It's a welcoming place with a group of lovely women that always march in hour holiday parades. Some small towns are wonderful. I'm glad you found a perfect one for you.
And, good luck at BINGO!
xo jj
Boy there's nothing like the thought of a woman coming from a fast-paced town to bring out the sleaze-factor in these men. Revealing and ironic.
I'm glad your home is comfy for you.
So glad you are happy :)
I have never lived in a small town before. I do like visiting them though :)
CiCi, I am so glad that you have the calm life now. The town I grew up in about 1500, but very supportive and really there for everyone, although at times a bit too small for me....now it would be perfect. hugs.
i am glad you landed where you did...bingo night could be a lot of fun...
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