Small Town, USA

The thing I love about small towns is the feeling you get when you go out on a porch as the sun's going down right at the verge of spring.  People are walking their dogs, riding their bikes.  You can hear children laughing and hear cars off in the distance.  You know that inside those homes, be they big or small, families are spending time together---or apart, as I did in my sullen teenage years---and the lucky ones feel as if they're at home. 

There's a sense of community that you just can't get anywhere else.  You don't have to witness the big events firsthand.  You can feel it in the air, sense it on the wind.  You can hear it in their voices, even if they're just drifting out a window.  It's a feeling of comfort that is a rare commodity in larger areas and cities and something I didn't appreciate enough when I was young. 

So tonight, I'd like to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the evening.  Sit back, take a deep breath, and just think how nice it is out here.