There’s just something about living in the country or a rural town in America. Maybe you have to grow up there to understand and appreciate it fully, but it is truly a wonderful place for families to grow and flourish.
It’s true that some people who grew up in rural America couldn’t wait to have the freedom to enjoy city living, but I was just never that way. Urban dwellers might not see this lifestyle as a privilege, but most of us who have experienced it, the value is clear and it’s the only place we want to be.
I grew up in rural northwest Oklahoma, where the closest town’s population—Burlington, Oklahoma—was about 140, give or take a few. The town covers only 0.27 square miles. There was no stoplight in town and the only place to get something to eat or drink was the convenience store that was owned by the local farm cooperative. Everyone knew everyone and it was heaven on earth.
Over the years, I’ve lived in a college town with more than 50,000 year-round residents, plus the student population during the school years, and that was quite the change. After I accepted my first job post-college, I lived in a city of about 27,000.
Sure, I enjoy eating out at a nice restaurant that isn’t 30 minutes to an hour away, and it’s nice to have a Wal-Mart or a doctor’s office within blocks, but those things have never made living in the city worth it to me.
Every time I drive an hour to Oklahoma City for an appointment or date night with my husband, I’m always ready to leave by the end of the day and get back to our quiet dirt road. There’s something about stop signs instead of stoplights, and the only traffic jams are caused by cattle out on the road or slow-moving farm equipment.
I love how dark it gets at night without the lights from a metropolis, and I much prefer the smell of fresh air to overloaded dumpsters in town. There’s a simplistic joy that comes with living in rural areas where everyone instinctively waves with one hand on the top of the steering wheel, whether they know you or not. I don’t think that has ever happened to me in the city. I’ve only been given “the bird” with one specific finger on city streets.
I love that our closest neighbor is a mile away, and there is no homeowner’s association governing the height of my lawn or the color of our front door. And every day there is at least one picturesque view of a sunset, sunrise or country scene of some sort that is frame worthy. You just don’t get them in town. I’m even OK with driving a dirty car just about every day of my life because there is no way to get to the highway without getting some dust or mud on my SUV.
I loved this lifestyle as a child, and I recognize how fortunate I am to be able to pass on this quality of life to my kids. What a wonderful gift for them to receive!
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
