NOT ANOTHER BIG CITY GIRL

 Q: Where are you from, Edinburgh? Manchester? London?

 A: Nope, just out in the sticks.

 Don’t get me wrong, I love the big city life as much as anyone. I’ve had my fair share of it, and in fact, I’d escape to a new city for a couple days of adventure at any given chance. That being said, if there's one thing I've realised over these last few weeks in lockdown, it's how beautiful the world on my own doorstep is, and that, is nothing like a big city.

 Living in a small town has its pros, as well as its fair share of cons; friendly faces and neighbourly relationships well balanced out by the fact that its likely everyone will know your business, sometimes even before you know it yourself! But the one thing I will no longer take for granted is the landscape. No, we don't have skyscrapers, multifaceted shopping centres and an abundance of international eateries, but we do have a beautiful coastline, quaint countryside trails and houses and buildings with more character and stories than a Disney medley.

 For years I've lusted over Instagram feeds of girls standing on West London side streets with perfect white front porches or New York street corners of pretty little brownstones; projecting the perfect city life on the perfect city 'grid'. That, however, is not my world, although there are times I wish it was, but we shouldn't feel any less for that. My little corner of the world is open and bright (when the sun occasionally decides to shine), and it's what makes me me, and that deserves to be embraced.