I like living in a small rural town. After growing up on a farm, I moved around to different types of areas where the values differed and life moved at different paces. I did not like any of the fast paced environments I lived in. It was too stressful and unnatural to me. I belong in the country where the air is clean and fresh, and the scenery unbeatable. Now here I am in a small town where people know who you are and life is good.

One cannot drive through my rural own without someone waving a friendly greeting even to strangers. My town has an interesting array of stores and shops. Besides the local hardware, pharmacy, lumber and grocery stores, there is a variety of specialty shops that draw vacationers in as well as caters to the locals and their tastes. Quality handmade jewelry, gourmet coffee and foods, beautiful Christmas ornaments, quality children’s toys and clothing, antiques, clothing, and even Crocs are sold year round to entice buyers to stay in town to shop. These stores carry just about anything you would want to purchase.

A near-by town offers a grand movie theater that seats hundreds and plays first run, first rate movies in a surround-sound theater. Hometown theater groups offer first rate productions and fine operettas. Fine dining is becoming norm in many of the towns. There are numerous small towns that offer fun street fairs, weekend activities, and county fairs and parades throughout the area. Each town takes pride for its spirit and friendliness.

The availability of the Internet has opened up the world to small towns and it somehow has motivated the townspeople to take more pride and care of their villages. Our local communities have taken part in a sprucing up contest that occurs every spring and summer. An amazing transformation has changed drab main streets into beautifully kept areas where buildings are freshly renovated and kept clean. Beautiful flowers are planted in key areas and overflowing flower baskets are hung up along the main street in the summer. Tasteful lighting is set up in on the main street buildings in the winter. Each year more money is given out to communities to make more cosmetic changes with wonderful results.

In the summer a plethora of farmers markets offer all sorts of local produce, dairy products, cheeses, and homemade articles. They are held on every day of the week at a different town each time. I love having fresh food at my fingertips and you always meet up with someone new to meet or someone you know to swap stories with.

Our children grow up strong and healthy and most seem to have good values that are lacking with many of the youth today. Churches thrive in these rural towns and the youth have opportunities to be in active youth groups and go on mission trips as well as have numerous volunteer situations available to them throughout the community.

Organizations such as 4-H, Girl and Boy Scouts flourish and teach the children values and skills that our schools are unable to teach. Our schools are competitive academically. My children have attended top universities and colleges and never had to take remedial classes to catch up to the norm like some college freshman from suburbs and urban areas have to do.

I will put my quality of life ahead of most people. It is not that I have lots of money to do as I please, I don’t. The quality of life has to do with loving where you are. I love it just fine in our rural community where people know you and nature abounds.