I'm standing on top of Overlook Park. The park received the name because it overlooks my entire hometown. To the left, the reds and blues of the airport's runway lights radiate. In front of me is the nearly empty parking lot of the over-priced move theater. On top of another hill, to the right, is the hospital; the light of the helipad flashes to its own beat.

Most kids come up here to get away from their parents and savor a few moments to themselves. They talk about relationships that won't matter in a few years and that one teacher who assigns endless amounts of homework. I stand here now thinking, What a strange world we live in…

I guess I never truly imagined myself growing up. It was easy to dream of the places I'd go and things I'd accomplish, and it seemed like yesterday that I was just starting my awkward phase.

With the entirety of my native soil in view, the past nineteen years plays through my mind. I relive every choice I made (right or wrong), every person I met, and every moment I experienced. If I hadn't sang "Fergalicious" to my second grade crush, would we be friends? If I hadn't given my brother a fat lip by kicking him with my heels on, would we be closer? If I hadn't let my mom convince me to take on a leadership position, would I still feel fulfilled?

I can't help but think of how my past has made me into the person I am today. Even though I may say I hate the place I grew up, I have a small place in my heart for it.