I’m a small town girl driving down my city street today on my way back from an appointment and I saw tractors baling hay in a small field on our street. I had to do a double take, because we live in the city! Our beautiful street is lined with mostly historic homes in our town. After years of growing up in the country, and even living in the country recently, I really do enjoy the convenience of living in the city.
Most of my growing up years were lived out in the rural route two area of McLean county, which means cornfields. I grew up with cornfields seemingly everywhere. Cornfields to the left of me, cornfields to the right of me, cornfields behind me, and in the ranch across the street, there were cornfields surrounding the home that always housed three neighbor boys. One family with three boys moves out, and in comes another family with three boys. Anyway, I remember as a child watching the combines comb the fields in the hot summer months. The big machines that would go up and down the fields that seemingly engulfed almost every view I had, were a staple of my childhood summers. Somehow today, seeing these tractors on my street, transported me back to days slower paced days of living in the country and taking the time to watch the combines. So, my car eased to the curb and for a time, I just sat like I did as a young girl and watched the tractors do their job of going up and down only to repeat the process over and over.
Nostalgia washed over me.
A neighbor eventually walked up to my car window and we visited and he gave me an interesting history lesson of the country property in the city. My mind wandered to what the street would’ve looked like as he described the acres of farmland that use to be where all these beautiful homes were now built. He remembered when over fifty head of cattle grazed in the field where they were square bailing the hay today. My neighbor encouraged me to park and get out. Oh, the wisdom of older folk. I got out and watched and enjoyed the simple pleasure of the tractors in the field and took a picture, or two, or ten.
It was a good day. It was a good day to stop and enjoy a scene that sparked a pleasant memory from childhood. It was enjoyable to visit with a current neighbor who was out for a walk and learn some history about our community.
There is so much beauty all around us. And, there are truly kind people among us.
What about you? Have you found beauty this week? Or do you have a peaceful and peace filled memory from childhood that you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
I hope you find rest this weekend. And beauty. There is beauty all around us.
