this morning i took a walking tour of my little hometown.
it was a beautiful sunny day.
i walked. and i thought.
i’ve been hanging out here, on and off, for the past year.
in small town u.s.a.
i walked. and i thought.
it feels and looks different than when i was growing up.
yet at the same time familiar and comfortable.
i walked. and i thought.
the 6th grade bully doesn’t live here anymore.
and apparently his house said its goodbyes as well.
i walked. and i thought.
it has gone through hard times, this little town of mine.
yet it has persevered with hopefulness and pioneer optimism.
i walked. and i thought.
i am amazed at the verdure never seen in the bustling mining days of the past.
stunning beauty now, but also a crippling trade-off.
i walked. and i thought.
my time here is unknown, but temporary.
this nomad is restless to move on, to wander once again.
i walked. and i thought.
but for now i will appreciate and recognize what my birthplace can offer.
home base. my starting point.
i walked. and i thought.
whether permanent or temporary, are you in touch with your surroundings?
do you notice and marvel, acknowledge and attend?
every day is its own and cannot be recaptured.
i’d love to hear your own aware-awakenings.
please share.
thank you and visit again.
I love it. I walked and I thought … Yes… I contemplate my surroundings… the birds singing just outside my door today and I thought “oh my, I am fortunate.” I sometimes wonder what it would be like to go back to my birthplace. I’d like to. It’s been over 10 years… since my mother transitioned…and with her, I too transitioned but differently from her… One day, I’d like to return, just to see, where I came from … to remember and then, to return to ny home of now. Once again, a beautiful post April. Inspiring. Thoughtful. Insightful . . . and deepening. I do enjoy them. xo
thank you, elizabeth. i too went through a transition when my mom passed away. it’s a different experience being here without her physical presence. not quite the same.
Oh, I loved this…I am envious of your environment, your walk, and your connection to your surroundings through walking and thinking! You always have such simple and beautiful messages 🙂 I took a walk with my son this morning, walking and thinking about the day, week, months ahead…when we take another walk later, I will be sure to get in touch with my surroundings and let the busy thoughts of the future go!
i also like to walk while planning/dreaming about the future, stacey. so nice that you are walking with your son – what a precious time together.
Your town looks so peaceful, such a far cry from my walk around my big town of NYC – Manhattan. As much as I hate the noise in my hometown, I also love it. I will always treasure it because although noisy, I always think and am inspired by it.
it is peaceful, brenda. but oh how i love NYC! 🙂 actually i prefer large cities (my family and i spend time each year in buenos aires) to small towns. but i do enjoy this slower pace at times.
I love the way you take in your surroundings…with your eyes, your camera, your words, your soul.
I too came from a small town, and every time I revisit, I’m struck as you are by the simple beauty (and there’s always something about the energy of a place, isn’t there?).
i do try to live more fully in each moment, sabrina – although i am not always successful. 🙂 it’s refreshing to visit this little town, where there is so much family and personal history.
Such a simple concept but incredibly touching and I could identify with it on a number of levels.
I especially appreciate taking time to look around at where I am without being so busy! It’s important to be grounded in the moment.
i’m so glad you were able to identify with my words, gemma. yes, we get so busy at times that we forget to observe the beauty of the present, don’t we?
A great post to remember us about our own home base. I grew up in a small town in Bavaria, Germany, and even though I’m an avid traveler, this place will always be home. Thanks for sharing this!
your comment made me smile, ramona! 🙂 i too travel often and far, but there is something about coming back to my first home. thank you for visiting my global studio.
I love trips down memory lane. Thank you for sharing your journey and photos with us, April.
Staying present has always been a challenge for me. My hyperactive brain is constantly bouncing from the past to the future. I really have to remind myself to practice mindfulness. When I do, I’m happiest. 🙂
my mind tends to race here and dart there, always teeming with thoughts too, michelle! i have been making a conscious effort to be more aware, to notice, to appreciate each moment. it definitely takes practice, but i always feel so much more appreciative as a result.
What a great way to spend a day, walking and thinking. I imagine the beautiful trees you shared were probably recently planted when you were young…if only they could talk and share 😉
my hometown is actually a mining town, susie. and the primary mine (where my grandpa worked from age 14 till retirement) shut down right after i graduated from high school. devastating to the economy, but a much greener and healthier result. (and you are right – several of my classmates helped plant many of the trees that grew abundantly after the mine closure.)
i walked and i thought…so peaceful.
I love where I’m living right now. I walk out the door into forest and birds. It’s peaceful. a 10 minute drive to the ocean every morning with our dog. That’s where I walk and I think.
Your hometown looks quiet and feels charming. Thank you for sharing so much of it thru photos.
The last time I saw one of my childhood homes the 8 inch evergreen trees I planted out the front door had grown to over 50 feet tall…it was seriously impressive. That was 15 years ago…I’d love to go back and see those trees again!
i adore walks by the ocean for walking and thinking, susan. wow, that must be one beautiful tree – yes, you should go back! 🙂
What a lovely post April. Your hometown looks so peaceful and picturesque almost to the point that it doesn’t look real – more like a movie set 🙂 I can actually smell the fresh air. How lovely you can be there now. I hope wherever your life takes you it’s as beautiful as your home town. xo
and what a lovely comment, tania! touched that i was able to create a vivid image for you.
I LOVED this pictorial post!! I felt connected with you and truly enjoyed the pictures you selected. Simple yet profound! Thank you for sharing this piece of you!!
how sweet, april. i’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you April, what a peaceful, yet inquisitive post! Just acknowledging you hometown, and the journey you have been on without leaving it. Wow! Really nice and thought provoking. Lovely pics too 🙂
thanks, farah. pleased that you took the walk through town along with me!
There’s always something about home! I felt like I was walking with you, thanks for sharing your beautiful memories!
yes, karen – the place where you began your life journey holds special meaning.
April, beautiful post..I walked and I thought. Gentle reminder to notice our familiar and our memories. Thanks for this.
thanks for visiting, dana. and yes, the familiar tends to become invisible if we let it, but can teach us so much if we are mindful.
Lovely and poignant. I feel the same way about my own home town. Thanks for sharing!
thank you, hunter. do you ever revisit your hometown?
What a beautiful town you live in! It is so easy to take for granted our environment around us. It can make a huge difference in my day just to take some time and appreciate the world around me. It puts things into perspective in a big way!
you are so right, cathy. our perspective changes when we invite awareness into our daily life.
I love this! I had one of Johnny Cash’s songs in my head as I was reading. Very cool and I love the theme. Awareness and presence is key. We only have this moment.
oh, i love johnny cash! and now i’m curious – which song was going through your head? thanks for stopping by, lisa. 🙂
This was such a peaceful post. I loved the visuals of your hometown and taking me down your personal memory lane. “I walked and I thought…” Just beautiful April.
Thanks.
i like that, denise – my “personal memory lane.” it certainly felt that way – truly seeing my town, and then remembering it through my younger eyes as well.
Your town looks peaceful and this post is amazing, very poetic. I love the photos 🙂
thank you, kamila – so glad you stopped by!