Subways, Sardines and Small Towns

I just went to London for the first time. I was excited to see, with my own eyes, things I had only viewed in photographs. (I would have loved to see some of the royal family, but it was not to be.) Anyway, though it was fun, It seemed to me that London resembled other big cities. And when you go underground…….all subways are the same. There is something dehumanizing about them. I always end up feeling like a sardine…..packed tightly with all the other fish! No one smiles. Is no one happy about where they are headed? Or maybe they just hate the method as much as I do. I suppose it is a necessary evil in a metropolis, but I always come away thinking that we were not meant to live like that….. all so impersonal, strangers to each other.

Of course, there are similar problems above ground. Something is wrong when homeless people fall asleep on a sidewalk and everyone just steps over or around them. Is it compassion fatigue? Self-absorption? Fear? I do not know, and I don’t know how to fix it, but I know that it isn’t right.

I realize that small towns have their own unique problems. And sometimes it is nice to be anonymous…..for a short time. But as for day to day living, I prefer less traffic, even though it comes with fewer options for restaurants, shopping and activities. I prefer to have people know me. I want people to greet me. I want a place where, if I fall down, someone will pick me up. If I were to become homeless in my small town, someone would know my name and likely would try to help me. Those are reasons I traded a small town for the rhythm of a city. I want that sense of community.

I believe that everyone, no matter where they live, longs for community. I believe we were created for love….to love God and ourselves and each other. So maybe….just maybe…. there is something that could be done to increase that sense of community in all of our towns….great and small. After all, is it not when we love our neighbor as ourselves, that we really have that sense of belonging?

One of the things that has intrigued me as a small town physician is that when I take a few extra minutes to get to know a patient, I always come away amazed. There is always a depth of potential and talent and experience hidden beneath the surface of every human being. I am always left richer by the discussion. So wherever you live, small town or big city, it is always worth the effort to get beyond a superficial knowledge of those you interact with. You know that small town mentality where everyone knows your business and you know theirs? Well, it is really not so bad. In fact, it is a blessing. People are isolated and lonely. We need God and each other. We need to care and be cared for. We need to have that sense of belonging. The world would be blessed if we could spread that small town mentality everywhere!