Day 46: Western MA

I'm posting a little earlier than usual because Justin and I are headed out to Western, MA for the night and most of tomorrow.  There is no wireless connection at his parents' house, so this is just easier.

I grew up on the North Shore, about 15 minutes outside of Boston.  I grew up thinking the South Shore was Cape Cod, and Western, MA was anything close to Worcester.  So did just about everyone else I grew up with, so I don't feel too bad about my generalizing.  My first introduction to "real" Western, MA came from my college roommate.  She was from Easthampton, which I had never heard of, and she was proud to be from Easthampton.  We made a few trips down the Pike, and I learned very quickly that Worcester is not Western, MA.  Once you hit Worcester on the Pike there is a lot more driving to do.  

I met my husband through this same friend, and he too comes from Easthampton.  It was really through him, and the many trips out there to visit family and friends, that I learned to love Western, MA.  One of our first weekends together, Justin took me to some very cool places.  He showed me a bunch of waterfalls - one of which makes a very cool slide, a fire tower that you can see at least 4 states from at the very top, and a llama farm (I know these exist in other places, but I was very excited as I love llamas and had never seen a farm of llamas). I knew he was also proud to be from this area of Massachusetts.  

The best part of Western, MA are the people.  Justin grew up with a group of friends that are still close to this day. I started out being insanely intimidated by these people.  They had inside jokes, history, and a way of acting around each other that I never thought I'd be able to fit into. In retrospect I know most of my fear came from my anxiety; but still, walking into a room of 10+ people who have known each other for years is overwhelming. In the past 10 years, I have had the amazing opportunity to get to know these wonderful people.  I am happy that I can call them my friends, and Justin and I refer to them as our friends now.   

I have fallen in love with the Western part of Massachusetts. I love the little towns and their general stores.  I love the community feeling at church festivals.  I can't get enough of the quiet, slower lifestyle.  Don't get me wrong, I'm don't think of Western, MA as Green Acres.  I know there are more rural parts of the world, and probably even Massachusetts. But recently, I was forced to slow down and re-evaluate my lifestyle.  I was given the chance to take a break from everything and look at how I was living my life.  I was shocked at how quickly things were flying by me.  I needed somewhere that I felt less rushed.  A place that Justin and I felt connected to.  

I am grateful that I was driven into Western, MA by my college roommate some 10 years ago.  I am grateful that Justin and I will soon be able to call it our home.  I am grateful that it already feels that way.