My Own Small Town Perception

As I sit in a coffee shop in Puyallup, Washington--a suburb right outside of Seattle--I grow an appreciation for the small town life. The sense of community-- not being afraid to speak to the people around you--I think I've lost that atmosphere with my time in LA.

Now, I'm no stranger to the suburbs outside of a major city. I grew up in a small desert town of Palmdale, California--inside the heart of the Mojave desert. Though it was set within the boundaries of LA county, it was very much a suburban city with its pockets of rural bliss. A major city still felt very much foreign to me.

Though I lived in Los Angeles close to ten years now, I still call my small town community home. I guess I find my peace whenever I visit my home town. My perspective on the world derives from my upbringing, the way that i looked at the world and how everything can fit within it.

Yes, at times, it became sheltering--living in the middle of nowhere has a tendency to block out what's really going on in the world outside. Those who have never left the farm--I coin these people "lifers"-- remain in a sort-of perpetual arrested development, stunted in their growth for never wanting anything more out of life.

However, that observation--really an assumption on my part--was really an over-generalization. Who am I to say that people in rural/suburban communities are living any less of a life than me? I chose to move out of my small town for the big city because that was what I valued, but that doesn't mean I should hold everyone else to that same standard.

So my metropolitan arrogance slowly dissipates when I take this moment; I embrace the town from nowhere. The smell of ground roasted coffee and the knick-knacks that decor the walls gives me peace--a chance to step back and reflect.

I am trying to become an observer--someone who can listen and soak life in. My writing suffers from lack of detail and it is a shame because I feel that the details are all that's left in my memories.

As I explore a new depth to writing, the focus on the here-and-now becomes prevalent. To seek a three dimensional space with my words and to provide a richness in description that I hope will enhance your reading experience.

I'll be back in LA soon and will get back at it at the coffee shop.

Thank you and we will chat soon.

AB