Have I ever mentioned how much I love living in the country?!

Living in the country means our mornings aren’t just about getting everyone out the door — they’re mini adventures. Now that Emerson, Ashton and Kameron are at different schools, I’ve got two drop-offs on two different routes, which means we encounter just about everything rural roads have to offer.

We dodge the occasional armadillo that didn’t quite make it to the other side (country kids barely notice anymore), slow down for deer crossings and sometimes even wave to a cow that has decided the grass really is greener on the wrong side of the fence.

The other morning, Ashton spotted what she called a “steep hump” in the road. Most folks call it a speed bump, but honestly, “steep hump” is way better. We laughed as the car rolled over it like we were climbing a tiny mountain instead of coasting over asphalt.

Some days (most days, honestly), we get stuck behind a tractor on the way to school. Nobody honks. Nobody weaves. We just wait, knowing that tractor is headed to a field that’s been worked for generations and that field probably feeds a lot of families.

But my favorite thing about these drives through the country? When a funeral procession comes by, every car pulls over to the shoulder — every time, without fail. It gives me chills every time and brings tears to my eyes. It doesn’t matter if it’s a beat-up pickup or a shiny SUV, whether the driver knows the family or not. The world just slows down. For a moment, we’re all the same… just small-town people paying our respects.

Country roads may have their “steep humps,” slow tractors and the occasional unfortunate possum, but they also carry something worth holding on to: respect, patience, and the quiet reminder that we’re all in this together. I also never miss any opportunity to yell “cow” any time we pass a field. 

(Paige Gurgainers is a mom of three girls, digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal.)