Urbanite

Today I am grateful for my husband Darcy's support and mutual motivation regarding eating healthier and dropping our holiday pounds. I am also grateful for the squirrel that just ran across our back patio, giving me reason to pause. 

URBANITE brings up a few points of discussion for me. An urbanite is someone who lives in a city. I think we can all agree on that definition. What we probably will have wider views on is what constitutes a city. 

Technically, a city is defined as a permanent human settlement and it has existing government with rules and regulations. Good luck finding a population that people would agree to distinguish between a town and city, or a big or small town or city. 

With a little research, you will 2,500 is the population number often used to differentiate a town from a city. Depending on where you were raised, 2,500 can seem like a lot of people or be considered barely a spot on the map. 

I grew up on a farm, with my hometown numbering fewer than 1,000 people. My idea of a city was the community 15 miles away that had around 8,000 people, a theater, a bowling alley, and several restaurants along with plenty of retail stores and other services. 

The largest city I have lived in-Sioux Falls, South Dakota-was over 100,000 and growing. That was an adjustment for me. Now that I live in a metro area of over 3.5 million people, I feel more like an urbanite than ever, taking multi-lane freeways to work and living 20 minutes from a large international airport. 

All of these varying locations I have lived in, including our current community which comes in at 22,000, makes me appreciate them all for different reasons. 

I am a suburbanite with a rural background. I still prefer the open spaces and less hustle and bustle, but I do appreciate the conveniences of more populated areas. Every community I resided in, large or small, has shaped my history. We love our current community and are grateful to be here. It's a good size, but also offers so much more. 

Today I will strive to appreciate my home and my community.  Consider doing the same.