If we aren't moving forward, then we are either stuck or falling backwards. To evolve we must keep going onward. I know that. I know that without progress we would not be where we are today. We live in a world that is in constant motion. Literally.
Even in small towns, people are always busy. It's hard to meet up with anyone when I go home. We all live our own lives and have endless to-do lists. The hustle and bustle of daily life keep us so busy that we aren't sure what to do with ourselves when there is free time.
During the school year, I live in an area where the street lights and lamps block out the stars. Most cities do this, and at my university the stars are hard to see.
Now, I have always been a homebody. I don't always have time to return to my hometown during the busy school year though. Last weekend, after my first week back of the new semester I went home. I couldn't last one week without going back to see my family. On my ride home the first thing I noticed was how bright the night sky looked. I could see all the stars as I drove closer and closer to home.
I have always loved looking at the stars and while I'm at school, I completely forget about how much I love them since I never get to see them. When I got home, all I could do was just sit in my car and look up at the stars through my windshield. It was like time stood still. I felt like I could breathe and relax.
Progress is good, but so is the simple life. Sitting back, smelling the roses, and being present in the moment is all good too. I've been to busy cities and have immersed myself in crowds.
I've walked the busy streets of New York City.
I've trekked it through London.
I've gotten lost in Rome.
I've hit the pavement in Paris.
I have seen city life and felt the constant move of energy, and although I appreciate it and the progress, it's not where I want to live. For me, those are the places you visit.
There is a book that displays becoming modern in a perfect way, and the sense of loss that comes with it. Virigina Lee Burton wrote The Little House in 1942, and it is a story about how the world changed around the house while it stayed the same. It's a children's book with a huge meaning.
So, yes, progress and the fast-pace of life may be unavoidable and a necessary evil to keep going forward. However, there is something to be said about having a place you can return to, look at the stars, and enjoy time off from your busy life. It's a place of comfort. It's away from the highways and interstates. Away from the always shining lights. For me, it's home.
