To my hometown:
We all wait for the day we can move away from our hometown, but we never really realize how spectacular of a place that is until we leave. We crave moving on to "bigger and better things," but we don't understand how special home is until we are apart.
Growing up, living in a small town was the worst. There were so many boring nights spent laying around because there was truly nothing to do. You also can't forget the fact that no matter where you go you tend to see someone you know, which usually results in an unwanted 20 plus minute conversation. These things made teenage life somewhat boring, especially for a social butterfly.
Then, in an instant, you grow up and you move away. Just like that, you are in a new place surrounded by new people. Going to the grocery store is no longer a hassle because instead of being wrapped up in a conversation with your neighbor from down the street, you don't know a single soul. You don't even recognize any of the cashiers. It's soon after occurrences like this when you realize how amazing home is.
Suddenly, you understand how wonderful living in such a small, tight knit community really is. It's a special feeling to be so close. When you go away, you understand that. People aren't as friendly... It isn't socially acceptable to wave at everyone walking on the street, regardless if you know the person or not. You will probably never have a 20 plus minute conversation in the grocery store with your neighbor, because chances are you won't even know who your neighbor even is. The amount of things we never realized that we loved about the place we grew up becomes very evident once we leave.
We take so many things for granted in life, but one of the main things is where we come from. Small, quaint towns may seem boring while we're living there, but there are so many important things that we didn't even know made an impact on our lives.
Hometown, you may not be a large city with tons of things to do, but you are the best place on this planet. Your sense of closeness is something most of us will never find again. I have never been more thankful to have grown up in such a special place. I will never, ever take you for granted again.
