Live Local, Love Global

I recently shared some words on social media that resonate with people. A reminder that in a world that celebrates bigger as better, we have permission to live small and grow deep roots. 

Later, I was watching my favorite fall movie for the second time this season, You’ve Got Mail, and the words of Kathleen Kelley, aka Meg Ryan, stood out to me as they connected to the words I had recently written.

“Sometimes I wonder about my life. I live a small life. Well, valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder – do I do it because I like it or because I haven’t been brave.” 

Kathleen Kelley, You’ve Got Mail.

Days after reflecting on that quote, I sat behind a car at a stop light with a bumper sticker that read, “Love Local.” That’s awesome, I thought; I love local. 

A firm believer in living fully present right where we are, I agree with love local. I love my local community. I love to shop at local businesses and dine at local restaurants. I am passionate about growing strong roots in the places we live. 

But, something is missing when we only love local.

It is easy to become fascinated with movements such as only shopping locally. I, myself, love shopping locally and supporting small businesses. And the reality is most trends or movements come about because of a felt need for something to change. There can be good reasons to choose a particular lifestyle, even if it is a trend. Yet, we must be cautious not to simply follow a trend and to make sure we are living our life, not someone else’s idea of what life should be like. 

So, while I love local, that is not all I love.

You see, I have an international family. I have two sisters, and we all live in a different country. While born in the United States, I spent most of my childhood in a foreign country. I’ve called three different countries home at one time or another. So, while I love where I am now and want to live locally, I also love the global world.

Shopping locally is important to me, but so is shopping companies investing in improving our global world. Places supporting fair trade and providing liveable wages for workers in other parts of the world. Or companies that donate money to charities dealing with humanitarian concerns, such as human trafficking, food insecurities, or refugees. 

As I’ve been reflecting on trends, ones that I greatly appreciate, such as slower, smaller, local living, I’ve realized that I must be cautious not to move too far in one direction so that I cut myself off from the larger picture. I must not get so small, so narrow in my thinking that I fail to see what is happening in the world outside my local town. 

I don’t want to wonder if my choice to live a small local life is driven by fear or a desire to shelter myself. I’d like to think it is a brave choice.

So, while I appreciate and like the bumper sticker that says Love Local, I think it is missing something.

Perhaps a better alternative might be:

Live Local

Love Global