Small Town Living

I live in a small town, but it wasn’t always that way. I spent the first half of my life in busy Chicago with lots of people and waiting in long lines and hunting for parking spaces. Now I’m living in the center of Arizona in a small community just outside of Sedona. I never have to worry when someone sends my mail by mistake to my physical address instead of post office box because they know me personally and do not return it to sender. It’s comforting, too, to know the staff at the bank so personally. One of the gals bought a house from me and I love to hear to hear how much she likes it. On the way home yesterday, my husband and I attended the Grand Opening at the new Dollar Store just up the road from us. At the checkout, the clerk introduced herself to us and made us feel welcome. My husband, Tom, mentioned the good price of the dog food and said he’d be back tomorrow for more. With that she packed in a coupon. Upon leaving, we noticed that we only had one water container in our bag. We failed to purchase the second one still sitting on the counter and another man was ready to check out. So Tom said he’d get it later. And the clerk replied “get it tomorrow when you come back for the dog food.” This made me laugh. She paid attention; she cared! Do I miss the sea of people and the enthusiasm at museums or the skyscrapers along Lake Michigan? I do. I comfort myself with the beauty of mountains, rodeos, and extraordinary sunsets. It’s good to have experienced the best of both worlds!