Buttons over at
Buttons Thoughts got me to thinking as she describes a recent trip she took into the BIG city of Toronto. I grew up in a small town out on a dairy farm in Upstate New York where everyone knew everyone - REALLY. And where we were all just able to "be ourselves" as we all knew each other and our families.
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| Me and Kattie |
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| Me and Kattie and the farm house where I grew up. |
When I moved to South Carolina I also lived out in the country but once I met Scott we've always lived in a City and I slowly changed through my 20's and 30's and lost site of that feeling of being able to "be myself". I fell into the "have more be better mindset" and I hated it! Once I hit my 40's I've been on a journey to find my "true self" that so freely lived through my childhood and teen years. I don't know what it is about City living that changes the thinking... perhaps it's the fast paced atmosphere... perhaps it's the over Commercialization... but everyone worries so much about what other's will think of them by what they wear and less about how they act. People are rude whether walking through a store or driving a car or even in their workplace. It's all a rush to see who can have more, do more, be more... WHY? Why not focus more on just the "being" and the "experience" without all the added pretentiousness.
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| Little Nickie and I last winter |
I do have times like Button found in Toronto where people are cheerful and glad to share bits of their lives but those encounters are not the norm. Like her I've found that they occur more often when you let your own walls down and open up first. Here's to just "being" and opening up more to my fellow human beings!
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| Mr Tesla - Just "being" himself |
Becky I couldn't agree more...great post!
ReplyDeleteBecky, I also have been thinking about Buttons post of adventure in the Big City...I grew up in the country much like Buttons & You, where everyone knew everyone, and we were just ourselves.. When did society as a whole get so lost?
ReplyDeleteMind boggling sadness.....
~~Peace & Love & Healing & Blessings~~
Hi Becky, it's interesting isn't it that no matter where in the world you live, it doesn't change does it? I was reading your post and thinking about how I used to try and explain to my friends how it is so different from country living to city living. I to grew up on a farm and then moved to the city when I was 18. All I can say is that last year uprooting the family and moving rural again is the best thing we could have ever done. Over the 10years that I lived in the city and most of that with DH, I had totally lost sight of the more important things in life, and through striving to keep up with the Jones's and such all we have to show for those 10years is a whole lot of debt! the sad part is I can't even say what the debt is all allocated to, sure some of it I can but most of it was just frittering away money on a credit card and such...because thats what you do in the city - it seems to be the norm for people to live outside their means. I also totally concur with the atmosphere in a city also. I now hate driving on the motorway over here now, people are crazy and rushing everywhere - I mean what if you are 5 - 10mins late? at least you get there safely. Oh and if a salesperson actually treated you like they wanted your business, they would get a lot more of it I'm sure. wow this is a super long comment! lol sorry hun, I just feel really strongly on this subject, and my thoughts mirror yours exactly. So here's to bringing back a little more of the country mentality of being ourselves and where not rushing to hither and yon is the norm not the extreme!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Becky! You echoed my thoughts exactly about the pace of life and the striving to have more...it doesn't make people any happier and I've gladly forsaken that lifestyle of acquisitions just for the sake of it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Becky I was not aware you lived in a city as you always have such wonderful woodsy shots.
ReplyDeleteI hope the city doesn't take the real you away I like her.
I don't think it has and I would certainly smile and chat with you in the city. I am sure you would be like the nice people I met in Toronto.
Keep your attitude it only takes a few to change this world.
Wow farm to city that would be quite a change you have done it gracefully you still have those roots. Love your childhood photos. B
I have been thinking, maybe I seen people the way I wanted to. Maybe the nasty people were there but I never noticed them just as they never noticed me. hmmm? B
ReplyDelete