A Tale of Two Cities

It’s a tale of two towns really. I live in a rural town north of Boston. It reminds me of where I grew up in Windham County, Connecticut. I recently spent a week in my home town. My mother had minor surgery and needed someone to stay with her for a few days. I’ve done that a couple of times in the past ten years. And I always have a sense of wistfulness while I am there.
Maybe it’s nostalgia. Not much has changed in my hometown. As I drive the familiar roads I am reminded of friends. The town now has two traffic lights that actually stop traffic. And a Dunkin Donuts. The elementary school is now the Senior Center and Public Library. A new school was built on a different road. Some of my friends moved away and like me, only come back for a visit. Some came back years later and seem to have “settled down.” Part of returning home is the familiarity and I often feel the proverbial tug of wanting to recapture that life.

But then I think of my life now. I am blessed with a loving husband, two wonderful cats, a beautiful home, and a job I love. I have built a life that includes friends, activities, and a comfortable routine. I would not trade this journey for starting over again; even in a familiar place.

Yes, I wish to return to the roads, and church, and friendships when I visit that small town in Connecticut. However, I long for home and the comfort its familiarity brings when I am away. The phrase “home sweet home” has a different meaning now. So I will count my blessings that I am able to occasionally participate in my hometown community while living a full and happy life in another small town.