1) It is your home.
As much as we may hate our hometowns, we all know that it is our home. It is the place we grew up and the place that will always remind us of some part of our lives. I don't know who said it, but there is a truth in the quote, "Home is where the heart is." Whether it's the fresh baked cookies at Christmas time, or your first bike ride in the park, there is an essence of home that will always be memorable. Your home will always be your home, no matter how many good times or bad times.
2) Your hometown will always bring a life lesson or two.
For me, it was my freshman year of college in Washington DC. Hurricane Sandy hit Staten Island hard. I couldn't get in touch with my family for days but when I finally did, I sighed with relief. All over Facebook I saw efforts to rebuild homes, collect canned goods, but most importantly, gather together to watch each other get through a devastating time. I was proud to be a part of the "forgotten borough" because of all the beautiful people who went out of their way to help each other. Your hometown will be full of people who teach lessons or who go to make their community better. Once I moved away, I realized how privileged I was to be part of a community who knew and supported each other personally.
3) There will always be some love in your heart.
There are times where you will be embarrassed to say where you're from. There will be times whee you'll hate growing up in a small town where everyone knows your name. I can promise you that one day that will all change. Once you leave your hometown for a while, you'll start to realize that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. You'll remember the local supermarkets that remember your family's cold cut orders or the coffee shop down the street that always gave you that discount since you were there every single day. Once you leave, you'll remember that not all places are as sheltered and close knit as you remember your hometown to be.
4) It doesn't change, as you do.
There was nothing like going home after a long semester to go back to the same town that you left. I was always so in awe of how much I learned by leaving. As you grow older and experience new places with new people, the same place you left doesn't change. It's comforting to know that even when you change, the place you live doesn't. In a world full of craziness and hectic times, it feels so nice to have some stability.
5) There will not be a place like it.
I can promise that you will NEVER find a place like your hometown. The people, the local shops, and the lifestyle will be so unique that you could never replace it. There is an important lesson to understanding this notion and that lesson is to appreciate where you come from. There are so many places in the world that will never top your hometown. So appreciate it for all that its worth because one day you'll miss it, even if its just a memory or two.
