The road was long and the hours and miles went by. What felt like a long blink of the eye, I was right back where I started. Maybe a little grayer, but definitely wiser and more patient than most can understand.
I couldn’t wait to get back to see my pups and family. The welcome didn’t disappoint. I was quickly knocked down and covered in dog slobber.
I’ve got to say, being back in Appalachia is a real trip if you’ve been gone for a while. Things are slower and definitely quieter. A slow breeze in the trees. Kids running around playing. It feels peaceful in a way only Appalachia can give you.
But like everything, even here changes with enough time. I see it with new eyes and a deeper appreciation. Some things are still the same, others not so much, and some are gone completely.
I can live just about anywhere, and I do tend to get bored after a while. But there’s just something about this place that has always felt like home. Being able to look up at the stars at night and actually see them is something I’ll always appreciate.
Small town life is what it is, but really it’s just life without the rush of a city running 24 hours a day. I just make Thai food myself instead of ordering it, and I can cook with the best of them.
Is it fun to sit and catch up with neighbors and family you haven’t seen in forever?
Absolutely.
I’ll take a fan in the window any day over tropical, smothering humidity. The slower life feels good right now. It’s nice to walk out in the morning and just take it in.
Even the completely unhinged weather feels new. Pretty one minute, a raging storm rolling in the next. I know most people complain, and I’m sure I will to at some point. But at least there’s real weather here.
Life looks different from this angle. Good or bad, I’m here for it. Because as I’ve said life is not that serious. Things work out better than I usually expect.
I’m not romanticizing the slow life, it’s just how I see it after being gone so long. If you’re wanting a country life, just remember what isn’t normal to you is probably a normal routine here. The same goes for wanting to move to a bright, shiny metropolitan area. You can get shot at or see wild stuff anywhere.
So let the new adventures begin. I’m pretty sure the neighbors missed me blaring music all evening long. I will say, the pet Tom turkey was an addition to the neighborhood I didn’t see coming.
Got to love Appalachia!
