Thanks for accepting me, for being a home. For being the place that holds all my friends, all my memories. For being a place that, if I wanted to, I could go back and relive all of those memories. You watched me grow up. You watched me go through so many phases, so many heartbreaks, and you were a comfort through it all. But somewhere something changed, I grew up. I had to move.

Now I have a new “home.” I had to move and you became just a memory. For a while it was raw, I was devastated that I had to leave you. I cried day and night. I never wanted to forget everything we experienced together, but now five years later I realized something: you will always be there for me. You will always be just a few miles away.

All I have to do is take the time to drive there and I will be home. I will drive into my hometown. Reliving memories that only you and I can understand how truly precious they are. You will always be the one that gets that childhood me the most. I can tell the stories as much as I want but no one will truly be able to live in the moment like us.

You will always hold the memories of my younger days. Though people may have walked out, I can go back to where you are and pretend it's all the same still. Pretend that I'm a little kid and that I have no cares in the world. I can pretend that nothing matters, and I can never thank you enough for that.

My new home is just as important now though. It's beginning to hold just as many memories of me. Through high school and college, I've grown and changed. I've learned so many lessons. So thank you hometown for being there for me when I was young and for continuing to be there for me now. Thank you for holding all my precious memories like a treasure box, but it's time for me to grow in my new home. It's time for me to plant my seeds here and hopefully find out who I am someday. I will always cherish you. I will always visit you. I will always love you.