The Wisdom Of Life In A Small Texas Town
When Carol and I were dating, she lived and taught in Victoria, and I worked for a Fortune 500 energy company in Houston. I was 25 at the time and quite naïve as to what added value to my life.
In my 20’s, I thought the big city provided everything a young professional could ever want. I was incredibly wrong. My days started very early and immediately threw me into rush-hour traffic. The commute was an expensive and tiring battle. At the end of the day, my commute was reversed. By the time I got to my apartment there was little time or energy for anything else.
Ironically, after swearing I would never live in a small town, 30 years later, you cannot blast me out. I will always live in a small community.
I share this observation as graduation is right around the corner. Young graduates will scatter to the four corners of the earth in search of employment and fun. I routinely see graduates turn their noses up to life in small towns. The jobs are there if you look. But they think the fun is missing.
Life is what you make of it. I guarantee that life in a small community is more fulfilling and collegial than the big town.
As young and old graduates evaluate their next moves, consider the following.
The average home in Austin costs $550,000 whereas in Seguin or Victoria the cost is half as much. That means your mortgage, insurance and property taxes are also much more reasonable in a small town.
The average office in Houston rents for more than $31 per square foot. Nice office space in Victoria runs less than $3 per square foot.
There are some great restaurants in the big town. However, the average ticket at a mid-range restaurant in Austin runs $50 a meal. I love the fact that in Victoria I can get a plate of Mexican food for $12 or grilled salmon and asparagus for $15.
Although money is a big consideration, your time is even more valuable. When I lived in Houston, my commute was 45 minutes each way if traffic was good. I cannot understand the desire of living in Austin and doing battle up and down I-35. Conversely, my commute now is two miles and takes five minutes. That gives me an extra 80 minutes a day to not be stuck in traffic screaming at derelict drivers staring at their phones.
With reclaimed time in each day, I can get a great workout, walk my dogs or have a leisurely dinner. I can hang out with friends, join a pickleball league or read a book.
In a small town you can truly know people. This builds relationships we desperately want in todays social media world. You can donate time and resources together for philanthropic purposes. You can enjoy a ballgame or a church social. There is a true sense of community and a kindness in the neighborhoods.
I hear many younger professionals say they want to live in the big city because of all the concerts, sporting events and great restaurants. Although this is the stated attraction, because of the commute, the traffic and the cost, people do these things far less than they anticipate.
However, here’s a secret. I like all the enticements of the big city, too. Carol and I enjoy heading for the big city to have a great meal, see a show and if we are really crazy, we’ll even get a hotel. However, I leave the big city, and all of its hurdles, in the rear-view mirror so I can go back to enjoying my life.
And you might be surprised as to how much fun and quirky tradition there is to enjoy in a small town. Whether it is the Goliad rodeo, the Luling Watermelon Thump, the Texas Mile race in Beeville, the Poteet Strawberry Festival, a beer at the Shiner brewery or visiting the great pecan in Seguin, there is always adventure waiting for you.
Sure, big towns have much to offer. However, do you really want to struggle through your daily existence just to live in a mass of humanity? Or, will you find value with simplicity, community bonds, a short commute and a lower cost of operation?