I grew up in West Virginia. I grew up in a very rural, very country part of West Virginia. Our neighbors weren’t neighbors as such, they lived up the road and across the way. The town was barely a mile and a half long. Everyone knew everybody else’s business before it even happened – and here are the things I loved about it.
Photo Credit: Along The Trail
Because of when I grew up – in the late 1980s and early 1990s – and where I grew up, I was in the latter half of the very last “Go play outside” generation. You could hear or see anyone coming, my friends and I were even allowed to play in the woods after dark. Of course, we rarely wanted to because it was frigging scary.
Photo Credit: photoriel
Speaking of the woods, they were better than all the swing sets, slides, and seesaws in the world. You could do more than just climb the trees, you could make entire worlds under their canopies. I played pretend so much, it’s a wonder I haven’t completely lost touch with reality. Oh wait…
Photo Credit: Amundn
My closest friend growing up lived in a house on acres of forest and land, all filled with paths – and four wheelers to traverse them. Okay, sure, in retrospect it probably wasn’t safe, but having transportation around the woods made for hours of endless entertainment.
Photo Credit: Felinely Ineluctable
Summers in the country, especially in southern country, is unbelievable. Everything is lush and green and pungent. The world is ripe with new life. It’s a little overwhelming when you get a little older, but when you’re a kid, it’s all wonder and fireflies and heat lightning, plus hoping the power goes out so your parents will tell you ghost stories.
Photo Credit: Amy V. Miller
Likewise, fall is an absolute miracle in the country. It took me until I was thirteen to truly understand that some cities didn’t have that kind of crazy foliage in the autumn, that not everyone had dozens of trees around their house. Everyone I knew had that – but that didn’t stop the whole crisp, clean spectacle from being breathtaking.
Photo Credit: Camera Wench
Just to keep on with the roll of seasons, I’ll mention this one. There is only one big reason for this. Where I lived, winter snow meant snow days. I got out of so much school as a kid. I hated it come spring or summer, when we had to make up for the days, but for the most part, it was awesome.
Photo Credit: StevenBrisson
As I mentioned, everyone in my hometown knew everyone else’s business, all the time. If you weren’t directly related to someone, then you’d be related by marriage or something. I used to say, “my uncle’s daughter’s boyfriend’s brother” and things like that a lot. It was completely irritating but it was great, too. Now the only people I know on my street are my landlords.
Photo Credit: antiguan
I’m not trying to put it out there like I grew up a total rube. My family and I went other places and I didn’t confuse pools with cement ponds. However, ours was a largely simple life then. Our extended family was all in a five mile radius, my grade school teachers had been my mom’s teachers, and there was always someone there to help you or take care of you or hang out with you or something.
Of course, I realize a lot of this is probably an idealized viewpoint. When I was 9, I wanted to move to Los Angeles forever. Still, I don’t mind remembering it as idyllic. What are your best childhood memories?
Top Photo Credit: susan m2010