The Joys of Country Living

The joys of country living

I’ve never lived in a city. My parents and their parents all grew up on farms. My hometown Kapuskasing, had a population of about 12,000 when I was there and it’s the largest place I’ve lived in apart from short stays in the university towns of Guelph and Peterborough.

The history of civilization throughout the world is the story of populations gradually moving from rural areas to cities. People have made this move for many reasons. There is a limit to how many can be supported on a farm and jobs in cities are seen to be more exciting and rewarding than traditional rural occupations.

When I graduated from veterinary school, it was my goal to move to a smaller center than I’d grown up in. My first interest was in a small town in rural Saskatchewan, but it was soon clear that the local doctor wouldn’t tolerate a new female physician like my wife.

We finally settled on jobs in Newfoundland and first lived in the town of Carbonear. Carbonear is a fine place. With a population of just under five thousand, in many parts of the world it would be considered a village. But Carbonear serves a large surrounding area and has a hospital, good schools, and a mall full of modern stores.

Still, Carbonear was too big for us, so we moved to the village of Freshwater. Someone probably knows the exact population here, but the best I can do is estimate there are about eighty inhabitants. And I love it.

I understand the reasons that people like living in cities. Larger populations come with more diversity and opportunity. Urban centers have cultural and sporting events, libraries, museums, and a variety of restaurants.

There is always something new to do in a city. The diversity of people results in a great variety of cultural and gastronomic experiences. Every night of the week offers new opportunities.

But most people really don’t need something different every day. There is much to be said for stability. Most of us have a limited number of people we truly enjoy spending time with. Fancy restaurants are fun, but nothing beats a home-cooked meal prepared with care and love.

While I appreciate the offerings of a large center, I get enough of them with sporadic visits to cities.

The effort of driving to an urban center for a special meal or concert makes me appreciate the experience even more. I’m happy to occasionally travel to get the advantages that a densely populated center can offer, but for day-to-day living, I prefer something smaller. A place where life is a little slower, where you know your neighbours and where you don’t need to lock the doors of your house and car every night.

When we live in more rural areas, we may not have some of the excitement of cities, but there are many advantages.

This morning I went for a run that included a section along the shore of the north Atlantic. On any given day I might encounter eagles, whales, or seals. When I got home, my wife had just returned from a walk with our dog over the spectacular hills around our village. The blueberries she brought home were delicious.

After a quick shower, I went down to the beach behind our house to watch the wonder of rolling capelin. Not another soul was there to witness this spectacular scene. Before lunch I joined some friends to help clean out the shed of another friend who is quite sick.

People living in large urban centers don’t usually get the chance to experience these sorts of delights, and when they do, they’ve often left the city.