country vs. town

“When I am in the country,” he replied, “I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each their advantages, and I can be equally happy in either.” –Mr. Bingley in Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen

I must begin with a confession: never in my life have I read Pride & Prejudice. I don’t even know the plot. After spending Valentine’s night bawling over Becoming Jane, I decided it was time. Though I actually do own a copy of the book, I’ve refused to read it because it was printed in 1960 and would definitely fall apart if I tried. I’m weird about collecting books that have no value at all. So I got up & trekked to a shop where I had seen a Penguins Classic version with a beautiful yellow hardcover. The version is as close to the first printing as the editors could get, which I find charming (much more appealing than the movie edition of the book, which I immediately tossed upon my first attempt to read the book in high school).

I am now engrossed and can hardly put it down. I read Volume I in one sitting and plan to finish the rest by the end of the weekend.

However, there is a quote at-hand. As a country girl (not the boots & hat & Nashville classic kind), I never imagined I would live in the city, any city, or even near a city. Upon graduating college, I soon realized that to get a job that wasn’t in retail or food, I would need to migrate. Of course, I somehow landed in Seattle. Sometimes I can’t even get the details straight as to how I got here; it actually feels long ago, and I find myself shocked to find that I’ve been here over a year-and-a-half.

Regardless, it is a city, not just a city, but my new home. Just like Mr. Bingley, when I am here, I love it & don’t want to leave, but when I go out into the mountains or the woods or visit the place I grew up, I feel an equal pull to stay.

I wonder if everyone experiences this. Maybe it’s just an emotion for those who grew up in the country. My city dwelling friends (those who’ve grown up in the city—a concept which blows my mind: that people actually spend their childhood & adolescence living in downtown places) find great ease at living downtown and find long stays in the country drab. I find it peaceful & soul-revealing. The country is where you find God. Not in the come-to-Jesus kind of way, but in the You’ve-been-right-here-all-long kind of way.

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