When I was starting to become a rabid localist nine years ago, my friend Maribeth said to me, “If you try to explain the virtues of localism to someone and they don’t get it, you have to just walk away. It’s not for everyone.” And I’ve found that to be true. Not everyone prefers Main Street to the local mall, or farmers markets to super markets, or The People’s Perk to Starbucks.
But it’s hard for me to take Maribeth’s advice and walk away. I feel that given time and experiences, just about anyone will favor the local hardware store, the local attorney, the local beer. For me, the arguments about convenience and price don’t really justify the cost to our people and our planet. I may hash that out in another post.
I can vouch that once the lightbulb turns on, and you clearly see the illumination of living as a localist, you never want to go back to the shade. You will not shop on Amazon.com. You will not want to eat salad greens from Walmart. And your heart will sing whenever you think about your community’s local bookstore. These small aspects of the localist daily life help give me an overall sense of well being and belonging. I’m hoping that you know that feeling too.
Weekend driving trips are second only to learning everything about what is in my own back yard. Greensboro and the Triad are growing and changing and renewing in a way that no one would have predicted two decades ago.