When I meet seniors in the small towns and countryside near our ranch in central Texas, 40 miles south of “The Cowboy Capital of the World,” Stephenville, Texas, I find that most of the time, the Most of these people were born, raised, or visited with relatives or friends in this part of Texas as children. The memories that were created during that impressionable moment in their lives stayed with them. Many of the young people who lived here moved to the cities to attend college, work, and eventually marry and start a family. Some of the same people who were eager to get to the city realized that the country was not a bad place to be after all and wisely decided to invest in a second home for a weekend getaway, some hopeful. to retire there. Meanwhile, her children also reaped the benefits that come from spending time in the country. Many of these people stay in these homes long after their children have left home and have had children of their own.

My husband and I have lived in the country full time since 2003. Before that, we had a 40 acre weekend getaway in Bosque County between Meridian and the small town of Cranfills Gap, a small town rich in history. Norway. We now have a larger location near Hamilton, Texas, and we plan to stay here for as long as we can. Since we’ve been here, I’ve seen many of our older neighbors return to the cities they left years ago. Many have lived their dream of living in the country and are ready to return to the comforts that city life offers. Some leave because they have lost their spouse and do not want to be alone. Others have health problems and are more comfortable living closer to medical facilities. Many just want to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Many of our neighbors are constantly traveling to attend baseball games, soccer games, school games, etc. of their grandchildren, and eventually choose to live closer to them. We have met some people who decide to stay in the country after losing a spouse who leads a very active life and does not feel like moving. Sometimes their children persuade them to approach them so that they are close by if a problem arises. Then there are the lucky ones who have lived to old age and are perfectly content to live their days in the countryside on their own. A lady who lives near us recently died at the age of 103 and was still living in her own home. They told me about another old woman who lived here years ago who always opened the door with a gun in her hand covered by a kitchen towel in case of an unwanted visit. She chose to stay in the country and was apparently a very resourceful little lady.

Wherever you live, life is as pleasant as you choose. We all have to choose which forks to take as we approach them. For us, we chose the fork that led us to a quieter and simpler life in the country. We know that the day will come when we decide to return to the city. Until that time comes, we choose to enjoy everything the country has to offer: the beautiful skies and sunrises and sunsets, the abundant wildlife we ​​see every day, the wildflowers and spring rains, the silence of the night interrupted. just the hooting of an owl or the whining sound of a coyote howling in the distance and the promise of waking up to another glorious Texas morning. I know the “golden years” are approaching (although I don’t see anything “golden” about it), so I intend to store enough memories for the rest of my life while still choosing to live in the country. The last ten years of life in the field and those to come are what I will consider “golden” and I will always be grateful to have been lucky enough to have had that privilege. Sometimes the simple pleasures in life are the best. I am discovering it every day in my own “little piece of Texas”.