We were stopped by a sign on the door that read “Byrne After Reading Collective”, and a date.
“Shall we go?,” my daughter asked. Without hesitation I said, “YES.”
We went, and nothing has been the same since.
It’s been an awakening to the good one hopes for, the good you know must be going on somewhere that turns out to be going on right here under your nose. There was an immediate sense of inclusion, and we found community, companionship, intellectual stimulation, an expanding appreciation of music, and a growing list of activities and events that are thought-provoking , rich and sometimes pure fun. We found an amazing sense of welcome, creativity, humor, joy, refreshing world view, art, fresh ideas and some of the sweetest, brightest, kindest most talented people you’ll ever find.
Yesterday I asked my daughter what Smalltown Society meant to her. She answered with one word, “HOPE.” That pretty much sums it up for me. Smalltown Society banished a sense of malaise and is evidence that there is every good reason for hope for the future, not in some far off place and time, but right here, right now.
With gratitude,
Sylvia Medeiros (Community member, curator, author, Smalltown blog contributor)
