In the nearly 49 years of our marriage, Sylvia and I have lived in a variety of places.  Apartments, half a house, stand alone houses in city , small-town, country.  For 19 years we lived near a lake in a rural area.  From the windows and the back deck of the house I could count 50 other houses.  It really wasn’t as bad as it may sound.  Folks there mind their own business (mostly) and leave you alone.

City living has advantages.  I’ll admit it.  There was a time when we could step across a quiet street and buy fresh bread rolls for breakfast–every day.  And in the evening walk a block to purchase a fresh loaf of bread.  Oh that was good.  Buses and taxis could take you where you needed to go.  Most days it was walk to work and walk back home.  That was good.

There is another side of city life.  Cities do not sleep.  There is always the movement of traffic, the sounds of sirens, and the lights at night.  You can get used to things like that.  For eight moths we lived right beside the railroad tracks–at the end of the switching area.  The trains operated 24-hours a day.  We soon were able to sleep through anything–even an earthquake.

Today we live in a rural community, where we are surrounded by farms.  There are more barns than houses in this neighborhood.  We sometimes hear sirens, but that doesn’t average once a year.  We hear neighbors’ livestock from time to time, but it’s the sound of beef, chicken and eggs that stock the supermarket shelves.  About once a year, the “fresh” farm air carries the rich organic fragrance of natural fertilizer.

I wouldn’t trade this life for another.  Yes, we have to drive to go anywhere farther than the neighbor’s house.  Yes, I mow about 6 acres.  That doesn’t matter.  I have freedom and quiet.  Peace pervades our life and it is good.

Where do you live?  Are you happy there?

Neighbor Meghan (that’s her house in the upper right of the picture) was inspired by Tuesday’s post.  See her post here.