Relax, Man

A few days ago, while showing my sister, who was visiting, around the small town of St. Albans, we ran into a dog named Ranger and his man (who was, strangely enough, named Dog). I put them in that order because the dog was definitely the eyecatcher (it's okay, he knows it :) ). We started talking and during our conversation, the man asked me a simple, pointed question: "What do you love here in West Virginia?"

My impromptu response was, “My wife, of course.” While true, I knew it wasn't the answer he was looking for. Honestly, I didn't have a clear answer right then and there.

The question kept creeping up in my mind. On my blog, I often shine a light on the not-so-lovable aspects of life here—from the "small stuff" like the hunt for a wall stud to the "bigger stuff" like the endless mountain of paperwork. But reflecting on that man’s question made me realize there is no single right answer. It’s a collection of many things—some big, but mostly a whole bunch of small ones.

The biggest draw is the ability to be who you want to be—to "reinvent yourself." In the Netherlands, our mentality is often: "Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg" (Just act normal, that's crazy enough). Here, people just go about their business. There’s a wider acceptance for not following the mainstream.

And despite what you hear, it isn't always as polarized as people think. Many are genuinely interested in what you have to say, even if it's constructive criticism. Of course, you’ll occasionally run into the person who tells you, "If you don't like it, go home." Usually, I ignore it, but sometimes my Dutch side kicks in and I argue back.

If America is the land where you can become anything, you have to be allowed to fail, learn, and do better. To me, accepting a few helpful pointers is the true American way. After all, we have WD-40, not WD-01—it took 39 mistakes to get it right. Telling someone to leave just because they have a different view seems very un-American to me.

Then there are the down-to-earth reasons. Moving from a crowded city in the Netherlands to a house on a mountain slope has given me something I never truly experienced back home: peace and quiet.

My sister and I spent hours on the porch just enjoying the myriad of beauty nature offers. Now that the trees are full, there are a thousand shades of green. At night, the clear skies reveal more stars than a city dweller could ever imagine.

And then there's the wildlife. Back home, that mostly meant birds and the neighbor's annoying cats treating your garden like a bathroom. Here, so far I’ve seen:

• Deer, turtles, and bunnies.
• Frogs, squirrels, chipmunks, and woodchucks.
• The beautiful Northern Cardinal (the official state bird) and so many other birds (that bird feeder with camera is amazing) .
• Butterflies, dragonflies, and plenty fish in the creek.
• ...And snakes (but we shall not mention them because a certain someone in this house isn't a fan).

almost seems like Snow White was visiting us.

And in those moments, I realize what I really love. It’s sitting here with my wife, relaxing, and letting nature do what it’s best at: offering a break from daily annoyances.

So if I ever see Ranger and Dog again, I can now tell him the answer. It’s cuddling with my wife on a porch with a drink, looking at the flowers I planted while watching a couple of squirrels frolic.