Every couple of days, I stroll into the village to catch up on the local gossip. It’s fascinating how news circulates there, whether it’s word-of-mouth or through the social media sites. In small doses, this gossip can be as refreshing as the rustle of leaves or the peeping of frogs here at the pond. Just as I enjoy walking in the woods to watch the birds and squirrels, I equally enjoy walking through the village to observe the people. Instead of the wind in the pines, I hear the carts rattling down the streets.

From my house, I can walk in one direction to find a colony of muskrats in the river meadows. In the other direction, under the shade of elms and buttonwoods, lies the bustling village. The villagers, busy with their daily activities, are as intriguing to me as prairie dogs, each one sitting at the entrance of their homes or running over to a neighbor’s to chat. I often go there to observe their habits and interactions.

To me, the village feels like a giant news media site. On one side, to keep the place lively, there are shops selling nuts, raisins, salt, meal, and other groceries, much like an old-time general store. Some villagers have such an appetite for news that they can sit in public spaces for hours, letting the information flow through them like a gentle breeze. It’s almost like they’re inhaling ether, making them numb and insensitive to the potentially painful details of the news. This way, they remain conscious but not overwhelmed by what they hear.