20 Oct 2025
Small Town, Big Shift
We sat in a little restaurant in Marshall, North Carolina, and my mom asked, “Could you ever see yourself living in a small town like this?”
A few years ago, the answer would’ve been an easy no. Now, I think so. Maybe it’s age, or maybe just a shifting sense of what peace looks like.
My mom didn’t feel she could do it for more than a short stretch, maybe months, and talked about the comfort of knowing stores stay open late, that there’s always somewhere to go, something to do back in Miami. And I get that. But I laughed and told her, “Even with all those options, I still go to the same four places.”
The truth is, I don’t need infinite choice anymore. I want familiarity. A few good people, a few good spots, a rhythm that feels human instead of hurried. And I’m realizing that’s kind of always been the case.
I used to chase the sense that more meant better. Lately, I’m learning that enough is its own kind of abundance.