i used to think i wanted to live in the middle of nowhere. a farmhouse, with plenty of land + no close neighbors. quiet nights + skies brimming with stars.
but then kristie + i found the apartment where we're living now. it's walking distance to downtown northampton -- about 7 minutes (good for kristie since she walks to + from work every day). at first, the cars nearby were too noisy at night. the light from street lamps seeped underneath our window shades. the houses seemed to have been built rudely close together.
but lately, i've been appreciating our location so much more. samson + i go for runs downtown a few times a week. he gets to socialize with new people + dogs in all kinds of situations; i get to interact with strangers (a true favorite of mine) + very often run into people that we know. once a week, i walk into town for a donation-based yoga class. we walk to restaurants, to bars, to our friends' houses, to shops + to pick up a bag or two of groceries. sometimes we walk just to walk.
it's taken me a little while, but i've realized that this is where i draw strength: my community. just taking a walk downtown reenergizes me so much + always improves my mood. i feel like an active participant in northampton life + i cannot now imagine living farther than a walk away.
summer is the best time for this. there are lots of downtown events, and a farmers' market twice a week. i walked in last weekend to pick up some lettuce. the local bounty hasn't reached its peak yet -- it wasn't the abundance of july, august, or even september. but it was a great preview of what's to come: the farmers' markets where tables creak under the weight of green produce + the walk home that leaves my shoulders aching + stomach growling.
how do you draw strength? what helps you recharge your batteries?
