The Town I Love So Well
I have lived in and around Montpelier for seventeen years. I’ve worked here. My husband and I have raised our sons here. I have painted many Montpelier scenes, because I paint what is beautiful to me.
When I sustained a brain injury a few years ago, socializing became hard for me. I had to keep many people who I was close to at bay, because it was just too much for me. I still do because it still is.
Instead, I would go to the shops of Montpelier, because Montpelier is the kind of place where the shopkeepers know your name. It’s a place where an errand is also a pleasant interaction with friendly, familiar people. For the past few years, visiting the local stores and chatting with the people who work there, however briefly, has provided me the chance to socialize in a gentle way, at my own pace. It’s been a godsend, and has deepened my love for this place all the more.
When I went downtown after the flood, I was heartbroken, as we all were (and are). And yet, I witnessed the beauty of the old and young alike, working to save our city. And once again, I am inspired to paint it. I’ve frequently found myself humming an Irish song called “The Town I Loved So Well”. It’s about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and is rather sad, but filled with resolve. Montpelier, like many towns in Vermont, has been dealt a mighty blow, but we’ll be back. It is the town we love so well.
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