Thoughts on distance
As I was leaving my Seattle adventure of two years to my new place in Nashville, I sat at my gate thinking about how much I would miss coffee from my local coffee shop and hadn't brought any beans with me.
I ordered my favorite Stamp Act Old School blend direct to Nashville and a day after I arrived, they made it to my doorstep. Today, while making my morning cup, I looked at the packaging and reminisced on the times I had spent at that coffee shop, working, writing, chatting with friends. Seattle, Washington displayed on the center packaging.
I imagine there was a time when I would have stopped in at that coffee shop when visiting Seattle and cherished being able to have that coffee again, but now, I have the coffee right here with me for a shipping cost of $1.95. Sure I might go to it for old times' sake but it is purely for the location and because I like the coffee, not because I can't have the coffee at any time I want.
This reminded me of some other conversations I had with friends about local food chains. In-N-Out burger, a California staple, recently opened a shop in Nashville. Some of my favorite country bars here like Tin Roof are opening locations in Chicago. Even the coffee cup I'm currently drinking from (Duck Donuts, from Duck NC) has locations now across the country. I just looked them up, their own website claims "Local Donut Shop". Sure it's local to me right now, but in a way, not really. Regional spots that I used to really look forward to going to when I visited a certain city are seemingly popping up everywhere. Does that ruin the magic? I'm not really sure.
On my way out of the airport in Seattle I noticed all kinds of tins with Pike Place Market and Seattle Coffee beans (?). If you look at that packaging, it's fun and local, but often the ingredients aren't even from Seattle. That makes sense, in the world there aren't many purely regional creations anymore. But it still just made me a bit sad.
When traveling I've been finding myself thinking what is actually special and local here that I could bring home to my family or for myself and I come up short. In general, I'd say it's getting harder to bring things home that aren't orderable within a day or two. That act itself of just bringing something home isn't special anymore because of that aspect. Is there any point to buying "souvenirs" anymore?
That's when it hit me. That word "souvenir" in French means "to remember" or "to come to mind". There is value in reminding yourself of a particular trip, place, or memories you had, such as I did this morning with my coffee. There is also value in showing others that you are thinking about them. "I brought this back from X place for you" or "I saw this while traveling and thought of you" means a lot to me when others do it. I don't care if the ingredients weren't local or if it was made in another country than where they traveled. It's about the connection, the experience, and the memory.
If you are someone like me who really enjoys local items where you live, there are always farmer's markets, bakeries, and other small businesses. My friend recently made me a beautiful mug as a parting gift and plans to start selling some of her pottery. My roommate drew and framed a picture of the view from our deck in the house. These mean the world to me and will always remind me of Seattle and our friendship. There are still so many unique and special local creations in the world if you look a bit deeper.
This post turned into a bit of a jumble of thoughts. But at the end of the day, I'm really trying to not let globalizing ruin regional things I like or souvenirs. Being reminded of adventures, enjoying food, drink, time with friends, and traveling, are just as special.