I live in a small town. And I wouldn’t trade it for the most magnificent metropolis on the planet.
Here are a few stories to illustrate.
About a month ago when I was in the throes of a horrible flu bout, I got an email from the library saying that the book I’d put on hold had come in. Steve was gone that day and I didn’t want them to keep the next person in line waiting so I called the library, explained my situation, and told them to pass the book on to the next person, adding that I would just have to get the book later.
The woman on the phone listened patiently to my plaintive little story and then said, “Well, if you’re in bed sick, then you definitely need something to read, right?”
I love the logic of a librarian.
She went on to say, “My parents live in your neighborhood so I’ll just put the book in your mailbox when I get off work today. I’ll also renew all the books you’ve already checked out so you won’t need to worry about returning them until you feel better.
I didn’t know who she was but she obviously knew who I was because at 4 p.m. that afternoon, the book appeared like magic in my mailbox.
Small town magic.
A few days later (during the same bout with the same flu), a get well bouquet from a church member was delivered to our front door. On the card giving the delivery person the address it simply said, “Pastor and his wife. 127.” And that was it.
No last name. No street name. Just our house number.
It was obvious that whomever worked at the florist shop had started to write all the important information down and then thought, “Naw. I know who this is.”
And the flowers appeared at our front door like magic.
Small town magic.
Last week, I went to pick up my contact lens order from my optometrist where two women from our church work. I paid the bill and then, since there was a bit of a lull in the schedule, the gals pulled out a chair so that I could sit down to chat with them. Ten minutes later, I left the office with not just my contacts but also with the joy of being more than a nameless patient at a mammoth medical office.
Small town magic.
Last Friday, Steve and I did something rare and went out to eat. We were celebrating our 36th anniversary (a little late) and also my 56th birthday. We had unexpectedly been given money for our meal from a person Steve had done some work for which I was especially happy about. I’ve always believed that free food tastes the best.
We were just finishing our Caesar salads when a woman from our church and her husband stopped by to say hello. Our main course hadn’t arrived yet so we invited them to sit down with us. We spent an enjoyable few minutes in laughter and conversation and then when our steaks were delivered, they wished me a happy birthday and left.
When it came time to pay the bill our waitress said, “That couple you were talking to earlier picked up your check.”
Small town magic.
As Steve and I walked out to the restaurant parking lot, we saw a young couple from our church in a souped up, enormously tall, bright blue pickup. As soon as the young man saw Steve, he jumped down from the truck and proudly threw open the hood so that he could show Steve all the mechanical mysteries hidden therein. I stood at the passenger window and chatted with the young man’s girlfriend, asking her how in the world she managed to get up into her seat without a hydraulic lift.
It turns out that when you are young and agile and not ridden with rheumatism, leaping into tall trucks is not all that big of a challenge.
Midway through our conversation, I happened to glance up and notice that there was a vehicle trying to leave the parking lot; however, Big Blue was blocking its exit. Since our two fellas had their backs to the other truck, I went over to give then a heads up. They reluctantly jumped down from their engine-examining so that our young friend could move his truck out of the way.
But then it occurred to me to look back at the vehicle that was waiting to leave, which just happened to be another big pick up. I noticed that the driver was sort of propped up on the steering wheel, not appearing at all like he was in much of a hurry. Instead, he was looking like he completely understood why two fellas would feel inexplicably compelled to examine an engine smack dab in the middle of the Outback Steakhouse parking lot.
No hurry. Examine away. It’s all good.
Small town magic.
A few weeks ago, Steve and I were invited to someone’s 70th birthday party. There were about a hundred people in attendance and we knew very few of them. But of course that’s never stopped the People-Loving Parson (or the Parson-Loving Wife) from having a good time. We got in line for the food, met some new people, and then found a place to sit with a couple of women we’d met a couple of times before.
Just as we finished eating and were standing up to leave, some old school rhythm and blues began to play over the speakers which caused my dinner compatriots to start singing along with little snatches of the song.
The more snatches they sang, the more they laughed.
In the end, it didn’t really matter that we didn’t know most of the people in the room because all of us–friends, family and strangers alike–lived in the same small town. And all of us were caught up in the same magic.
Small town magic.
Saturday night, Steve and I were invited to sing at a local Music Night held at the Methodist Church.
Steve got up first to sing a fun song he wrote called, “Just Want To Make You Smile.”
On the spur of the moment, he decided to call two women forward to help him out. However, these were not just any two women, mind you. These were the two women from the 70th birthday party.
One of them was a member of the gospel choir that had sung right before us.
The other woman was the organizer of the event.
Steve knew from singing those earlier snippets and snatches of music with them that they were both a couple of hams and would be perfect to help with his song. This video clip proved him to be right.
After Steve’s song, I did a song I wrote called, “Grace at McDonald’s” . . .
and then we finished with the old hymn, “In the Garden.”
Small town church. Small town music. Small town magic.
Steve and I leave our small town from time to time to visit other places. But whenever we travel, we are always enormously thankful to cross back over this bridge and return to our home.
Our small town home filled with small town magic.
What about you? Are you a small town magic person or do you prefer the sparkle and excitement of larger city? Why?
Looked like everyone was having a very good time in the video! I would much prefer a small town. We are in a suburb about a half hour west of Detroit. Our city isn’t very large but large enough that the local businesses, stores, etc. wouldn’t really know a person unless they were a regular there. Traffic and the roads are horrendous! My husband would like to visit New York City, no way for me, Detroit is crowded enough and large cities seem so noisy and dirty!
Kari,
I wouldn’t mind visiting NYC again but would be overwhelmed at the thought of living in such a busy place.
Let’s hear it for small towns!
Becky – I do have to admit that I am jealous you live in Manteo. The ocean is warm there – and I’d love to be able to swim there in the summer. Plus I have so much family history there. My great uncle Eukie owned a hotel in Nags Head for decades and another great uncle grew up in Hatteras. My mother’s entire family is from the Hampton Roads/Outer Banks area.. But I figure if I can’t get to the ocean there, I’ll try the Pacific. One day, though, I want to come hear you sing and Steve preach. What a gift that would be. 🙂
Brooke,
I had forgotten you had so many family connections to our lovely corner of the world. And yes, the Atlantic is lovely but I would so enjoy seeing the Pacific again! Oceans, in general, are amazing.
Hopefully you can find a way to get back here soon. I know you must hear all the family voices from the past calling you back.
I grew up and stayed in until my mid-30s a small former fishing village, Noank – the people much like you describe, but evenly split the English and the Italians! I miss that place … as wealth moved in, small town magic disappeared.
Guerrina,
Small fishing village. Those three words evoke so many picture in my mind. I can only imagine how much you must have enjoyed growing up in a place like that. And what a great mix with having English and Italians!
Although the town you remember may have changed, the memories are always yours to keep.
I have always lived outside a large city – Washington DC as a child and Dallas/Fort Worth for the last 20. Current town was small when we moved here but is one of the fastest growing in the last 10 years. They try to keep a small town feel by having unique festivals. This weekend we are having the worlds only St. Paddy’s Day Pickle Parade complete with Pickle Queens. Pickle Queens are 15 women who are movers and shakers and volunteers extraordinaire over 40 who wear green prom dresses, red hair wigs and cowboy boots and ride on the last floats of the parade. There is also a pet parade, baby parade and a pickle juice drinking contest. Two stages for local bands to preform on all day and local venders. Lots of fun. Enjoy your small town.
Mary,
I LOVE the idea of honoring over-40 women for their accomplishments and big hearts. What a fabulous thing to get to be a Pickle Queen! 🙂 I think I would have to pass on drinking the pickle juice, though. Ewww.
Sounds like the people in charge of your town have a fun and creative mindset when it comes to community spirit. And living in such a fast growing area, that is all the more important.
Enjoy your large, little town!
I love small town magic!
We moved to a VERY small town many years ago….Hunker, PA. We had our mail held at the post office for a week while we were back and forth between homes. Something happened with the mail, and it wasn’t delivered on the day it should have been. So i called the post master and told him i’d be by to pick it in a few days.
Well when the day came, i pulled up to the post office and the man outside (who turned out to be the post master) said, “oh you must be Mrs Duncan, let me get your mail.” I love that he saw an unfamiliar face and knew i was the new girl in town.
Traci,
Love the Post Office story. That’s definitely a small town when the post master knows every single person! 🙂 Small town magic, indeed.
Becky, I thoroughly enjoyed your article about small towns, and it was great to see Pastor Steve performing. <3
Fred,
Thanks so much for chiming in. I like to see Pastor Steve performing, too! 🙂
I love these small town stories. I’ve only ever lived in large cities (Edmonton has about 862000 people) but I think I’d love small town living. My area of the city sort of feels like a small town with neighbours really friendly and getting to know each other.
I think librarians the world over are all wonderfully similar. For about two years now my local library has sent a volunteer every month to my home with a bag brimming with 15-25 books my my favourite authors or favourite subjects. It adds so much to my life to have access to library books!
I think your small town looks like a wonderful place to live!
Jenna,
I didn’t realize Edmonton was so large! Nice you still have that small town feeling in your neighborhood. The best of both worlds.
I love that your library drops books by; what an amazing and greatly appreciated service. God bless those people who make such a difference in peoples’ lives.
Love the stories. We have often paid for people’s meals some we knew and some we didn’t. It is always fun. I have lived where I am since about 1years old except for 3 months in Guam and 11months at the lake. I definitely am a small town person.
Ann,
I hadn’t realized you have lived in Roanoke Rapids just about your whole life! What a cool thing to have roots that go that deep. You are blessed.
I loved all your stories. I grew up in a very small town and since then have lived in small towns and larger suburbs. I’m torn, as they both have advantages and disadvantages. I currently live just outside of Dallas, and while our town has over 100,000 people, my library still knows me by name.
Sue Ellen,
A library that knows you by name. No matter the size town, that is the BEST sign you have landed in a good place. 🙂
I live in the Burbs about an hour north of Chicago and just about the same south of the WI border. I live in a pretty huge town (grew up in one too) that w/in just a few miles there are 10+ zip codes (I live the furthest west of my town & border many others). I have family that lives in Chicago & every time we go there I say the same thing, “I wouldn’t live here if you gave me EVERYTHING FOR FREE!” I think I’d like smaller town. The only thing I’d worry about was longer drives to the doc/Hospital while sick or too far of a drive to the store that I’d worry about freezer stuff becoming soup (ex. the rare 2-3 bites of ice cream I need a few times a month to make me happy). How far do you have to travel, Becky to get what you need?
Love the post!
Jodi
Jodi,
We had two small/medium grocery stores within 5 minutes and several larger, national stores within 20 minutes. Local hospital is 20 minutes but a major medical center and international airport are 2 hours.
Glad you enjoyed the small town post. I can’t imagine there being 10 zip codes within just a few miles! That’s a pretty impressive statistic.
Thanks for the comment.
I love these stories. 🙂 I think about when I get tenure negotiating to make my base our library out at the coast (http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu). I’m currently based in Corvallis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corvallis,_Oregon) – which is about 50,000 people. For 3 months I lived in Waldport (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldport,_Oregon) which is about 15 minutes from our library in Newport and felt at home there. Waldport is ~2,000 people and people were so kind to me. Just think if I moved there! Plus it’s at the ocean. So, yeah, I understand, completely.
Brooke,
I enjoyed looking at the links you included of Oregonian towns. It’s so interesting to learn tidbits about other places. I think Waldport sounds like an especially great place–small and near the ocean. What’s not to love? 🙂
Loved, loved, loved all those stories. I am totally a small town girl and preferably county. 🙂
Mel,
Glad you loved the stories; glad you join me in loving small towns!
As a child, up until I was 9 years old, we lived on the outskirts of Fargo, ND, but basically later on when my dad became a pastor, lived in a small town. I enjoyed my small school class, but it seemed that because my dad was a pastor in the town, we were in some ways, not well liked by a few folks. And, of course, being a PK, I had to watch my P’s and Q’s. I really prefer the larger cities/towns so that you don’t have to drive upteen miles to get to a restaurant or go shopping at a mall. Your town sounds like a great place to live and you can tell you two are appreciated and loved.
Sharyn,
Yes, being a PK in a very small town/school would definitely provide some unique challenges. I’m sure you must have felt very “noticed” at times and as you said, felt the need to watch your P’s and Q’s. God bless you and your family for your ministry.
I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. It is ‘home’ and we still go there a few times a year to see my family, but I would never want to live there again. It’s WAAAYYY too big and the traffic and all of the people are just too much. Ugh. I really enjoyed your small town examples. I can totally relate to some of those because I, too, live in a small town. (population 24,000) I love this life and I always see people I know when I am out and about. Everyone is so friendly too. 🙂 It does have one drawback though and that is that there just aren’t many shopping options. But that is easily solved. I just go to the next town that is about 22 miles away and larger than our town. They have the shopping, the dining, etc. And if I really get the urge to go to the city, I just go visit my kids and grandkids. They live in a fairly large city that has everything one could need. I compile my list over time and then get it all done in an afternoon or less. The rest of the weekend is spent loving on my grandtreasures. 🙂 Perfect!!
LeeAnne,
My best friend from childhood has lived in Denver for many years and LOVES it. And Nathan has even said he would love to live there some day! But I am with you. Too many people, too many cars!
I am glad you have ended up in a smaller town since that is what you love. And as you said, there are many ways to deal with the lack of shopping–if you just plan your schedule right, you can make it work.
Enjoy small town living!
What a fun post to read, all about small town living. I live in a small community also and we sure do love to help out those who need a little boost sometimes, whether a meal, child care, trasnsport. Small town living is great. Wendy
Wendy,
I love that you love helping others in your small town. That’s what gives it some of its magic!
I grew up in a very small town in NJ during the 60’s and 70’s, my grandfather, mother and sister never left it but I wanted to very much. As a single woman, I moved around the state a bit, as a married woman, we have lived in Kansas, Kentucky and now North Carolina, and boy do I appreciate my small town now when I go back. l love the familiarity of it, going to the same old diner, running into people I know, being able to visit my parents’ graves, driving by my old high school, a lot has changed over the past 40 years but the feel of it is still the same, I love walking the “Avenue” where we hung out as teens….so give me a small town anyday!! But driving over that bridge to Manteo would scare me, I am NOT a bridge person, when I go over the Delaware Memorial Bridge on a trip to Jersey, I always want to close my eyes, even if I am the driver!
Dale,
It’s wonderful that you get to go back occasionally to that small town where you grew up. In a crazy, constantly-changing world, there is something very grounding about getting to return to your roots and seeing so many things the same.
And since you’re not a bridge person, Manteo would probably not be the place for you–we have bridges everywhere! And it is always better to keep one’s eyes open when driving over them. 🙂
Love reading about your small town blessings! I also live in a small town, Mayberry, also known as Mount Airy!
drmt69,
How fun to get to live in Mayberry/Mount Airy! 🙂 I have never been there but have seen pictures. It looks delightful!
loved all your stories… especially the spontaneous burst of song!
my library is now bookmobile6… such a super service having books literally delivered to my door… and I really enjoy reserving a bunch via the internet.
Mrs. Pam,
Aren’t bookmobiles amazing? Whoever thought up that whole idea is a hero in my book!
I grew up in a small town but after living in mostly cities for 35+ years, I can’t imagine going back to a small town. There are definitely good points about small towns, I just like the possibilities of a city. I know there are people from my graduating class in 1973 that have never left that small town. I, on the other hand, left there and, never say never, but probably won’t move back.
Phyllis,
It amazes me when people stay in the same town their whole lives; there are a lot of people in Manteo like that. Although I have loved my travels, I am slightly envious of them and their history with each other and with their town.
And you’re right. Cities are full of wonderful possibilities!
I spent 53 years in the big sprawling city between San Diego and LA. Now I live in a rural area between 2 small towns in MI. I love the small town. I have encountered some of the similar things you have, with being know by my name and not just another face.
Patti,
Wow. Living between San Diego and LA, you are a huge city professional! I cannot even imagine having that many people all around me.
I’m glad to hear you ended up in a place you love–Small Town, U.S.A! I love your line about being known by name and not just another face. Enjoy!
Thanks for a magical post! ? loved it!
Love, Deb
Thanks, Deb.
Since you live in a small town of your own, you can probably relate to a lot of the small town-ness in the post.
Hey Becky !
Long time no see but I wanted to check in and say I read your blog and I love your posts I am just a horrible at commenting.
I loved your stories . Especially the libary one . Was the book good?
I also loved the resturant one.
Is Sarah enjoying college ?
That was a very good question . I like to think myself as a city person . I love sitting at Starbucks wirh a good or treat myself Burger King a few times a month and my cinema trips. But I am an introvert and auctually prefer my evenings to be in than out . I also do not mind smaller cities to visit . So well honestly as long as a city has Asian food and a burger King and a Starbucks libary and book store and cinema I do not mind the size ?
Katrina,
Always nice to have you pop in and leave a comment!
Sarah is loving college. We took a little road trip yesterday and spent much of the time discussing all of the things she is learning in her classes.
Sounds like there are many things about your city to love. Glad you get opportunities to go to your Starbucks and Burger King. Enjoy!
Give me a small town anyday!
Steve,
Hear, hear!