There are certain qualities of a little town that beat many qualities of a large town. This is coming from the lips of—no, wait, that would be the fingertips of—an erstwhile city slicker, one who has bought into the value of a village.
Now before I go on and on and on about the happiness of a hamlet, let me tip my hat for living in, say, Medicine Hat or Lethbridge.
Let's start with the big deal for big city: convenient shopping, price selection, leisure and pleasure choices, plus all the varied services, for starters. Most urban centres have everything—and I define “everything” as McDonalds, Walmart, and Starbucks. You have those “services” and you have it made.
Or so we are led to believe. And that's part of the lure of living that lifestyle, especially for young people. I have a few kids myself who are slowly gravitating towards big city lights, like fireflies near a light. And beyond families, it's hard to attract young professionals (especially teachers and doctors), plus other movers and shakers, to these small rural towns.
I have fought the same urge myself to pack up and slink back to the city many times; but for this season of life, I have settled down near a small town. It has been a wise choice, even though, as I stated earlier, my older kids may have not quite bought into it. As I write, I have kids living in Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Kamloops, with a couple others ready to dash for the lights.
What are some of those aforementioned joys of the small rural setting? Let me count the ways: I like the first-name basis when I go into a store--any store, for that matter. I like the nod or greeting--to complete strangers, no less—as I walk into the post office or hardware store. And I don't lock my vehicles at night, either, though I generally lock my house. (However, in case some of you are getting any stupid ideas, I always lock it when I leave it.)
On the other hand, there is rarely a first name basis in Lethbridge or Medicine Hat. I don't dare nod to complete strangers, even though the people in these bigger centres can be civil enough (or maybe just surprised) to nod back. And keeping a vehicle or house unlocked is an invitation to grief.
Yes, there are kooks and crazies in the small centres, but plenty more in the big ones. They can't just hide as well when there's only 1,500 people, as opposed to 85,000; that's why those wackos and weirdos gravitate towards a city.
As I was playing baseball with my kids the other night, I saw a fairly typical small-town sight: A number of ladies riding their golf carts home from night out at the local golf course. Either that, or hubby had taken the family van to, you guessed it, Lethbridge.
Safety is another positive reason why I like living in or near a small town. In the main, I personally feel safer, and I feel overall my family is safer in a small town. Again, there are nut- cases everywhere, but I suggest there is more visibility and accountability in a small centre. Carried too far and it's called snooping, but methinks that's a healthy trade-off.
One of the biggest drawbacks with the hamlet-village-town lifestyle usually has something to do, well, something to do. A limited tax base puts a real crimp on indoor swimming pools, rec centres community centres, all-night restaurant chains, or even a movie theatre--"services" that the big centres have. Hence, the lure of the big metropolis for these and other attractions.
However, we are so mobile, that a quick trip to the big centre is part of the excitement.
Alberta is replete with the types of town I live in. There's a quality of life that cannot be matched in the big city, though some may dispute the meaning of “quality of life.” I can live without the McDonalds, Walmarts, and Starbucks of the world.
It's the golf scooters I might miss the most.
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