I grew up in the city, a child of sidewalks, stoplights, bridges, and clattering trains. I could walk to church, to the 7-Eleven for Slurpees or candy, to Woolco buy the latest hit song on a 45 RPM record, and to all three public schools I attended from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
The memories of nature from my neighborhood, other than the maple tree which dropped its leaves in the front yard every fall, are the gray roly-polies I played with on the concrete steps at the back door, the slugs I salted to watch them dissolve (sorry, slugs), ants, and eastern tent caterpillars with their beautiful rainbow patterning. I caught them put and them into recycled butter tubs with lids, to be disappointed when they turned into such plain moths. Oh, and the random mouse that got in the house to startle my mother, who screamed. And the ditch rat that got into my bedroom… another story for another day, that.
I know there were birds. There had to be birds.
I can’t remember them.
I longed to live in the country, with my grandparents. Even though the mosquitoes, yellow flies, and ticks might eat me alive, I could find tiny gray toads the size of my thumbnail. I would marvel at the dazzling colors of dragonflies, once I got over my terror of them. Hummingbirds zoomed past me for my grandmother’s flowers, never minding my presence, their emerald and ruby feathers gleaming like jewel-fire. Cicadas rattled the earth and my heart with their rhythms. There were deer, rabbits, snakes (alas!), and birds, always birds, chattering and singing incessantly in the dense woods…
The longing never left me, so when my husband and I settled in the countryside, I knew I was home. I rejoiced that our boys would grow up treasuring a closeness to nature…
So I thought.
The oldest always wanted to live in the city (is this always the way? Wishing for the exact opposite of what we have?).
He grew up. He went to the city.
He was miserable.
He came back…got married, became a father…
He texted me a photo recently, with tremendous excitement: Look what I just saw!
A barren field along a deserted country road…
Where stood two bald eagles.
His eyes sparkled when he saw me later: They were huge! So beautiful…
It is better than I ever dreamed, this life, here in the country.
Isn’t it, Son.
*******
Composed for Day 22 of the Slice of Life Story Challenge with Two Writing Teachers
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I love this whole post, and especially this line: “Cicadas rattled the earth and my heart with their rhythms. ” A heart rattled by nature is a heart truly expanded, and a life enriched. From one country mouse to another…
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What a lovely line here, Molly – “a heart truly rattled by nature is a heart expanded, and a life enriched” – thank you.
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Fran, those eagles are simply majestic. There is nothing like the country – – I agree. The older I get and the closer to retirement, we have had so many discussions about having a place at the beach, where I grew up. But here is what I think we both know: the magic is not there. It’s here, in the country. You and I haven’t talked much about snakes, but I also am fascinated by them as well and am usually the one my friends and family call when there is one they want gone. They’ll send me a picture – I belong to my state’s snake identification Facebook page, so if I don’t know, I’ll have an answer from a page admin in a matter of minutes – and I’ll go over and relocate the (usually rat) snake wrapped around the rafters trying to get a bird’s eggs. I think snakes get a bad rap, and I feel sorry for them. But here’s the kicker: if I see a cockroach, I’m freaking out and screaming and up on a chair doing the fraidycat dance until someone comes and takes care of the murder, but I have to put my hands over my ears because the crunch of the death sends me over the edge. Another little known truth about life in the country. Those eagles, though – – now THAT makes it all worth every critter we might not like.
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The eagles are amazing – we know they’re around, but we don’t see them often, so it’s very exciting when we do. They are breathtaking. And huge – as big as Micah, said my son. –I did not know this about you and snakes! How fascinating! My granddaddy was my go-to for info about snakes. He said never kill a black snake as they eat rats and mice. I remember him killing several copperheads when I was a child, usually with a hoe – once with a shotgun. Cockroaches…my school building is rampant with them. I will spare you my stomping story here, about the time a big one went skittering down the aisle of the auditorium…hmmm… should I slice about this???? Anyway – yes, the country is FULL of incomparable magic and mystique; I do love the beach, so much…but the countryside is home. My corner of heaven will surely be like my grandparents’ home ❤
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So glad to read that your son has found a love of being in the country. I can’t imagine wanting to live in a city; I lived in London for three years and hated every minute of it. They can be the loneliest places. Aren’t those eagles magnificent? I have never seen one on the ground, only golden eagles soaring way up above us in the desert. I love all your wonderful animal descriptions from your childhood. It puts us right there with you!
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My family has always enjoyed visiting cities; they have a ceaseless energy. A visit is very different than living in a busy place (as my son learned) unless you have some kind of connection…then it is very lonely, indeed. I have seen one other eagle like these, sitting on the ground by the roadside. They ARE magnificent – breathtaking. I would love to see a golden eagle…must be glorious. Thank you for your words, Celia.
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Love this connection to nature. I am a mixed person. I need my city fix but also can’t wait to get out to the woods and fields. The Eagles are amazing. We have two Cooper Hawks that return to our city neighborhood each spring. I love to see them. They do help control the crazy rabbit population that we have. I know they are here since I have found parts of dead rabbits in my garden. Yep, my little slice of the country. Thanks for sharing our country thoughts!
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Joanne, I hear you about the best of both worlds! We live right outside of our state’s capital city now. I treasure these rural stretches I now call home…they bring me such peace. I can just see your hawks in my mind – they are beautiful birds. We see red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks around here most of the time. In fact, I can see one most any time I’m out driving.
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You paint such vivid scenes with your words. This line makes even this city-gal wistful “Cicadas rattled the earth and my heart with their rhythms.” When I read your writing, I am transported. Thank you for this slice.
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Cindy, the rattling of cicadas in summer stirs in me a longing that’s hard to put into words. It’s partly for a time and place of my childhood, a yearning for my grandparents…but more. Even as a child I listened and wondered at the alluring otherworldliness of it. Many people don’t like it, of course. Thank you so much for your response – it means much to me.
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