--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...I suddenly realized what small towns…" description: "\"“...I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are places where you grow up with the peculiar-you live next to the strange and the unlikely for so ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/john-irving-337_commonplace_i-suddenly-realized-what-small-towns-are_634242.jpg" --- # ...I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are… ![“...I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are places where you grow up with the peculiar-you live next to the strange and the unlikely for so long that everything and everyone become commonplace.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/john-irving-337_commonplace_i-suddenly-realized-what-small-towns-are_634242.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/john-irving-337_commonplace_i-suddenly-realized-what-small-towns-are_634242.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d3/john-irving-337_commonplace_i-suddenly-realized-what-small-towns-are_634242.jpg) > ““...I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are places where you grow up with the peculiar-you live next to the strange and the unlikely for so long that everything and everyone become commonplace.”” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small towns become familiar to the point of normality, shaping perception through long‑term exposure. **In simple terms:** Long‑term familiarity makes the strange seem ordinary. Key Takeaway Recognize how environment shapes your worldview. Themes community familiarity perception growth Mood contemplative nostalgic Type cultural observational When to use this quote - moving to a new city - travel - career change - education choices Key Concepts social psychology environmental influence cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you make about your surroundings? - How can you seek novelty in familiar settings? A Different Perspective Familiarity can blind you to alternatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Small town](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-town/) [Small towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-towns/) ## Related quotes > [Big visions are realized through small steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-glenn/big-visions-are-realized-through-small-steps/) [Mike Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-glenn/) > [“realized that such small gestures – the way his mother had made me a cup of tea after our meal without asking, remembering that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/realized-that-such-small-gestures-the-way-his-mother-had-made-me-a/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [It's coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. 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A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/when-i-came-to-detroit-if-you-threw-a-stone-up-in-the-air-it-would/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [I think that some of the most amazing places to be or to grow up are the places right outside of great cities, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/i-think-that-some-of-the-most-amazing-places-to-be-or-to-grow-up-are/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [“...but I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are places where you grow up with the peculiar -- you live next to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/but-i-suddenly-realized-what-small-towns-are-they-are-places-where/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Small towns and local publications love to have a hero of some kind. For Portland, it's definitely Ian Karmel and Ron Funches, but every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-miller/small-towns-and-local-publications-love-to-have-a-hero-of-some-kind/) Amy Miller > [But instead of that stuff you get relationships with people and neighbors that you would never get in a city. 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His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' 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