I look forward to my weekends at home: the drive there, the coffee in my grandparent's living room, the familiarity of my own backyard. I know I'm almost home when the breeze from my open car windows carries the distinct smell of fertilizer, the sun setting over the pines and leaving a chill in the air.
Growing up in a small town has its advantages. I am always on time, perhaps because of the planning and time-management skills necessary when traveling to school, a friend's house, a softball game, or the grocery store. I am an incredibly attentive driver, remembering the fall and winter nights driving home from tennis practice and scanning the horizon for deer.
Living in such a closely knit community definitely gave me a leg up when I entered a small liberal arts college. I am outspoken, I remember faces and names almost always, and I value the interpersonal connections around me. I think that these qualities are the result of the way I interacted with people in my own community growing up. Sometimes interpersonal relationships can be sticky and finding a common ground can be a serious challenge--having to practice problem-solving and critical inquiry in regard to these issues before college has made it easier for me to work in groups both academically and professionally.
I am incredibly close to my family, both in proximity and in terms of personal support. When I was really young, I played in the woods for hours with my sister and cousin (the only people nearby that were close in age). My grandparents live next door, and the lessons I learned from them when they watched me as a child (and now when I drink morning coffee with them) are invaluable and have served me well in navigating the world as a young adult.
During my time in college, I have done many hours of service learning and community engagement as a part of my degree. My experiences with people that I knew during my upbringing have helped me to connect with those that I have encountered through service, and also recognize needs and differences of individuals. I think of all the educators from my time in our county school system and the positive impact they made on my future and those of countless others. I learned to write in both academic and personal settings during my time in high school, and this has been the most valuable skill in my life.
During my last visit at home, my dad asked me what I like most about being there. The openness and kindness that I am greeted with here is something that I value, and is certainly something that I am privileged to experience each time I walk up the steps to my home. There are definitely negative things to think about in regard to experiences of others and myself that could be associated with my hometown, but at the end of the day, I am grateful for my faith, my family, and the attributes of my character that have developed out of my time in Western Lincoln County.
