Thinking Back

I will soon be 55....very soon.  As a child when I'd hear of someone past 50 they were OLD in my book.  Now I realize it isn't old at all, most days.  I've done a lot of  reflecting the past few years of my "youth".  As as child I thought I was missing out on things by being forced to live in a small town in Arkansas.  I have since come to realize that I missed out on nothing.  Life in small town Arkansas was good.  At the time I grew up we never really needed to head to the "city" for anything.  We had 3 grocery stores of good size and a few smaller ones.  There were at least 4 clothing stores that handled men, women, and children's  clothing, as well as shoes.  We had a "five and dime" store, 2 drug stores, a hardware store, a couple of cafes, two dairy bars (AKA: dairy freeze), a bank, insurance offices, a laundry mat, barber shops, beauty shops, optomotrist, post office, movie theater, pool halls, liquor stores, churches of various demoninations, a school for grades 1 - 12, funerall home, fire department, and police department.  All of this was in a one and one half square mile area and most of it all on the same street known as Main Street!  It was rare that we couldn't find everything we needed right there BUT we always welcomed a trip to the city.  Now the town has very few businesses left.  I must admit that I do not frequent the ones that are there now like I should.  Why is it that we think the "big city stores" are better than our local home town shops? After a trip to the mega giant WalMart at lunch today I'm here to say I'll be spending more time in my local places of business.  I'll either get what I need or do without!  Hugs and be safe everyone!