Growing up in a small town to where I am now residing in a vibrant city, I have been given the opportunity to enjoy and reflect on a different type of life. Saying there is a difference between living with a few thousand people and a few million is nothing short of a huge understatement. And I really feel this when coming back to my home town again.
Over the past few days, I traveled back to where I grew up and met up with friend long past. Needless to say, the time was well spent and helped bring me back to what really matters in life: those personal connections to friends, family, and places you grow up and live in.
One key thing I noticed was the sense of tranquillity I felt when I returned home. Even though the town has evolved (plenty new stores, a few old ones gone), it was largely the same. This commitment to tradition and local longevity is incredibly satisfying. True, if I had lived here the entire time, it may be not liveable at this point, but for a weary traveller coming back home after an extended period of time, the feeling of tradition and nostalgia was very welcomed.
Among other things, this helped promote a sense of durability and stability among what I know is true and right. It helps reinforce the way one looks at the world, assuring them that although the world is always changing, there are constants throughout it, providing us anchors for mental balance and strength. It provides a sense of sustainability, not unlike recycling.
The relationship with the town, though, is just one side of the coin. The people are what really matter – they are the ones who provide us with the connotation for the very life we lived. Among the most nostalgic feelings are those I get when visiting old friends. Memories begin to flash back, good times passed are chatted about, and those embarrassing incidents can now be laughed at – thankfully. More importantly, though, meeting up with old friend gives me the opportunity to sit and reflect on the person we have become. Sometimes, one won’t change at all – they will look the same and have the same sense of humour. Other times, though, you won’t even recognize the kid you lived down the street from and played with for many years.
These new experiences with old friends help define the people we are today. It puts our evolving personality into perspective and old friends are never hesitant to point out how you’ve grown and matured.
Today is my 4th day returning to my hometown, spent the day writing this post as well as working on the ECR grant application for 2013.
