In Vain...

It’s been a real eye-opener living in the city. I live in a pretty rural area for this part of the state, but it’s nothing like the country town I grew up in, population around 1,000. The population here is around 6,000, but it is still pretty much an expansion of Dallas. I have about six or more Whataburgers within a 20 minute radius. The people here are different. As friendly as this state is supposed to be, sometimes I wonder…

We have our own definition for the ‘city people,’ which is pretty much people that are nice to you when they want to be but are really just self-absorbed. Now, of course, there are great people here, too. This is just an observation for the majority of the people we have encountered. We feel like people that grow up in the country stick to their upbringing and don’t change too much over time. They are genuinely kind, friendly, and look out for one another. People that grow up in the city (in general, of course) are somewhat judgmental and tend to look out for numero uno more than anything else. Now, I thought I would take this opportunity to lay out the major differences I have observed between country people and city people…

1. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get spanked when you do something bad and don’t ever do it again. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you get a time-out, and then call CPS on your parents.

2. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get a hand-me-down-piece-of-junk car when you turn 17 or 18 and are excited about it. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you get a brand new vehicle when you turn 15 and whine because it’s not fancy enough.

3. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you go to festivals on holidays, which include church music, games, and hay rides. If you are a kid growing up in the city, you go on ski trips and trips abroad on holidays, which include plane rides and new clothes.

4. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you wear whatever clothes your older sibling doesn’t want anymore. If you’re a kid growing up in the city, you go shopping for clothes and/or electronic gadgets every weekend that cost more than what most people pay for a month’s worth of groceries.

5. If you’re a kid growing up in the country, you get a job as soon as you graduate high school, if you don’t already have one. If you’re a kid growing up in the city, you get a job a few months after you graduate from college (this means your parents continue to support you monetarily until you decide to care).

6. If you’re an adult living in the country, you pull over onto the shoulder of the road if you are going 40 in a 60 to courteously let the cars behind you go around. If you’re an adult living in the city, you drive 50 in a 70 in the fast lane of the interstate because you just like that lane and don’t care who you’re holding up.

7. If you’re an adult living in the country, you work overtime at your job, so you can buy class pictures of your child. If you’re an adult living in the city, you’re so busy with your own life that you don’t even know that your child had class pictures.

8. If you’re an adult living in the country, you allow the lady with one item and two screaming kids at the grocery store to go ahead of you. If you’re an adult living in the city, you cut in line with your 25 items in the 10 item fast lane because you don’t want to wait your turn in the proper line.

9. If you’re an adult living in the country, you repay any and every favor that you owe somebody. If you’re an adult living in the city, you conveniently forget that you owe anybody anything.

10. If you’re an adult living in the country, you hold the door open for other patrons anywhere in your field of vision at any business establishment. If you’re an adult living in the city, you let the door slam in the face of the patrons whose hands are full because they take longer than two seconds to get to it.

11. If you’re an adult living in the country, you go to church and thank God for every blessing in your life. If you’re an adult living in the city, you sleep in on Sunday and easily take for granted the fact that you were given another day.

I hope no one takes offense. This is just my observation. Not to mention, the times have already changed dramatically since my childhood. This is definitely an instance of one extreme versus another extreme. I have honestly experienced in some form every idea I have written down. This is why Justin and I have problems living in the city. We just come from a different stock. I think it’s important to remember where you come from, so you can give thanks for how far you’ve come.

Who would’ve thought that life could be so different a couple hours down the road…