3 Days

So, you may or may not have noticed but I have not posted in the last three days. I was unfortunately struck by a terrible cold and I was out of commission for the majority of the weekend. Considering it was a lot of effort to stand up to blow my nose of of necessity, I totally forgot about posting to my blog.

But my weekend was not a total bust, I was able to spend a wonderful weekend with my boyfriend in Chagrin Falls. Abet both of us not being able to breathe...but it was worth it.

If you have not heard of this place I highly recommend checking it out. It is a wonderful little town with beautiful waterfalls. It was also where "The Gathering" was filmed if you know that movie.   

Anyway, it is basically the stereotypical small town. With little shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, it has fallen victim to the classic plague of small towns, commercialism and catering to tourists.

So, my boyfriend and I have claimed the local Giant Eagle as our "go-to" spot. Because no self-respecting tourist would ever be caught in this "normal" place, it is the perfect location to sit down and eat.

The thing I find the most charming about this Giant Eagle is that is remains vastly the same as the original grocery store that was there before it. The old deli, meat, fish, and bakery counters are a tribute to this and for some reason, walking into that side of the store always gets me thinking...Why haven't we, as America, worked harder to preserve the past?

Maybe it is because we pride ourselves on always pushing forward, into the vast unknown of progress. Waving the banners of technology and novelty. Why haven't we come to realize that these little historical towns are what drawn people? Everyone has this deep desire to step back into time and touch what once was.

Now I am not saying that progress is bad or that we should stay stuck in the 1880s. I mean I love computers, cell phones, and mp3 music. But would it be so bad to preserve certain ways of life?

Knowing your neighbors. Walking down to the local butcher, asking about his family, and ordering your steaks. Maybe even seeing the paperboy on his bike, even though he can never seem to toss the paper far enough so it lands on your grass instead of your porch. Maybe I just have an old soul, maybe I have a way to romanticized idea of the past. 

What I encourage everyone to do, for a few hours, a day, maybe even a weekend, is to go down to that picturesque town that everyone always talks about and go to the local market, park, or coffee shop and watch. Just observe the people going about their day. Notice their pace, not rushed, relaxed, even slow. The world seems to spin slower in small towns. 

Let's take the time to slow ours down too.