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Saturday, March 22, 2008

City Lights...

I'm in town at my aunt's house watching her dog for her while she's away.  Not the most glamorous job...but it works.  This is the town where my family used to live.  A few years ago we moved way out into the country, to a pretty little place with rolling hills and dirt roads.  We don't know very many people there, but we like it just the same.  We have twenty-five acres that we can use as we please.  

Our extended family always wonders why we would want to move so far away from everything and everyone that we have ever known.  They just don't understand.  Sometimes you get tired of living in a busy city, cramped in with people all around you.  Sometimes you get tired of all of the hustle and bustle, people crabby and work-worn, too impatient to wait for people who want to stop and smell the roses.  

The country gives you room to breathe; room to think.  There's nothing quite like the great expanse of sky over our farm at night.  I like to go out with my sister after dark when's she feeding the animals, and just stand there with my head tilted back, looking up in awe at the night sky.  I've never in my life seen anything more beautiful.

In the city it's hard to imagine that so much outdoors exists.  You can only see one small patch of sky in the horizon; you can only see a few stars shining down on you, their brilliancy dimmed to a weak glow from all of the city lights.  

It took me several years to get used to how dark it was in the country when the sun went down.  That sounds like a funny statement, because night is night, right?  But there really is a difference.  You don't know how dependent you've become on something until it's taken away.  That's how it was with me and the city lights.  At our new home, without any towns or houses being very near, when it gets dark, it's pitch black.  At first, the darkness almost frightened me.  But once I got used to it, it seemed like that's how it really should have been all along.  The darkness envelopes you and the stars fill the sky with their brilliancy.  

Sure, it's nice to come back to town every once in awhile, to see all of the familiar people and places, but at the end of my stay, I'm always glad to go home again.

They can keep their city lights!


8 comments:

Kaila said...

I want to move to the country SO badly! I want to have some mini jersey cows, some Nubian goats, chickens, a llama or two, a few hound dogs, ducks, and maybe a horse. I want to make yougurt, cheese, and have my own milk. I know it might sound silly. But that's what I REALLY want to do! Maybe I'll get to soon.

emme said...

I don't think it's a silly thing to say, Kaila! We always wanted to do all of those things, too. We have chickens, dogs, goats, (that we milk and make soap and cheese with) a few outdoor kitties, ducks, etc. (I'm still waiting on my horse, though) : )

Don't ever feel silly if it's something that is close to your heart or something that you really want to do...hold onto your dreams and someday they just might come true!

~Emily

Kaila said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah said...

How beautifully written. I spent some of the best years of my childhood in the country and long to go back. We live in a small town and right at the edge of it, but it's just not the same as being truly out in the country.

Mandy said...

I have your situation in reverse -- I grew up in a tiny country town and moved to a city nine years ago. I've gotten used to so many things about the city that when we go back to visit our hometown, the smallness of it can almost be annoying. But then, when it turns dark, I remember why I missed the country when we moved away. The sky in the city turns blue and orange at night and you can only see a few stars. In the country, the sky is black and there are millions of stars. It's peaceful, quiet, and I can hear the crickets and birds. Then, I want to stay in the country!

emme said...

I do know what you mean, Mandy! Even though we've lived in the country for a few years now, is still annoys me that we have to drive so far to get the simplest things, and the hours these crazy country businesses have (no more midnight ice cream craving for us)!

~Emily

Unknown said...

I can completely relate! We just moved to Raleigh NC from a NYC suburb about a year ago. And while the Raleigh area is a city, it is SO country for me! LOL I LOVE it though. I actually got physically ill the first time we went back to NY for a visit. Enough time has passed though that I'm looking forward to going back for a short visit in May. I LOVE NY forever but I hope to never live there again!

Anonymous said...

Great post, I am almost 100% in agreement with you