Day 21--My Small Town

I grew up in the parking lot that is suburban Atlanta sprawl. Within a ten mile radius of my childhood home there are three grocery stores, a Wal-mart, Target, every chain restaurant you can think of (including 3 Waffle Houses), an outdoor shopping mall plaza, two huge movie theaters, a hundred churches and every other modern convenience you can think of. Within an hour's drive there are at least 10 shopping malls and a half hour's drive will bring you into Atlanta itself. In high school living so close to Atlanta was a blast. My friends and I would go downtown on the weekends and try out delicious restaurants. I went to a few Braves games, The World of Coca-Cola, The High Museum of Art and performances at the Fox theater. Entertainment was easy to come by.

When I decided on where to go to college, I decided on Houghton College in Houghton, New York--a hamlet that doesn't even have a traffic light (but they do have a Subway and Chinese restaurant.) The nearest Wal-mart if forty minutes away. While at Houghton my interests shifted from continuous shopping to things outside. I started backpacking and rock climbing. I loved just hanging out on the weekends and found enjoyment in time with friends. I didn't miss all of the modern "conveniences" of home.

As a married couple we've lived in the suburbs of Buffalo and then Morgantown which was a frustrating tangle of traffic lights and college students. Moving to Fredonia meant moving to a picturesque small town. There are sidewalks everywhere. Lake Erie is a few miles away and if you drive into the hills you can see its vastness. All around the town there are gorgeous grape orchards that give off the sweet aroma of concord grapes in the late summer. There is a village square with fountains and a gazebo. On the weekends in the summer the square is home to countless festivals and the farmer's market which has a booth that gives out free popcorn. The square is surrounded by the opera house, several churches, the post office, the library and several adorable shops. There are seasonal ice-cream shops, a creek that runs through the village and a central school that houses grades K-12.

Not only is the location of our town unique but the people who live here make everyday special. I love that when I walk down the street with Ben I almost always see someone that I know. I enjoy going through the same line at the one grocery store in town with a friendly cashier. Each time I go to a small store where I buy meat I will encounter a cashier who either attends my church, went to high school with Andrew or whose child went to high school with Andrew. Even though Ben and I have only lived here a short time, we see familiar faces everywhere. Faces of people who take a genuine interest in who we are and how we are doing. Faces of people who were excited when Ben was born, when Andrew passed the bar and when we moved back. Fredonia has just enough stuff to keep us entertained and happy but not so much that we are overwhelmed.

Scenes of Fredonia from our walk today...