Don't ever change.

I grew up in a small town called Chatsworth, Georgia (about fifteen minutes outside of Dalton, Georgia) and I could not have asked for a better place to call home. Murray County sits right at the foot of Fort Mountain and is seriously one of the most beautiful small towns I have ever seen. Growing up, I didn't really appreciate it though, I actually could not wait to go off to school and get away from the small town lifestyle, but now that I have gone off, I realize how blessed I am to have my roots forever planted there.

I'm not much for the city, I'd much rather be outside on a farm, on a lake, or fishing. The city life does not interest me at all, and I think that is part of the reason why I love my small town so much. When I left for college, I never thought I would come home on the weekends or on breaks, and at first I did not. I stayed at school as much as I could until I absolutely had to come home, but slowly towards the end of my first semester I realized how much I loved home. My drive home from school is through the heart of the mountains and I really think that is what made me start appreciating its beauty so much.

A lot of people that come in contact with my little town say things like: "What in the world do you do there?" or "There's nothing there, why do you like it so much?" My response is: sometimes you just need the simplicity of how slow paced and easy things are in your hometown. You know everyone, all of my favorite hometown restaurants are here and it's just comfortable. Another great thing about being from a small town is that you know all of the best spots to go adventuring during the summer. Whether it's up on Fort Mountain, your family's farm out in the boondocks, or heading on over to Grassy Mountain to ride some trails, there is so much you can do when you're willing to go out and find it.

If anything, growing up in a small town has taught me so much about life. It taught me that sometimes you just need to slow down and take in everything around you. Growing up in a small town taught me how to appreciate tradition. Whether it's Sunday lunch with your family, or your annual fishing trip with your dad in the summer or hunting with him in the winter, or the Christmas parade, growing up in a small town gives you a sense of community and a pride for tradition.

Friday night Football is huge in small towns, and although I did not attend the high schools in my hometown, I still had that pride and wanted the best for them.

A lot of people also ask, "if you love your hometown so much then why did you leave it?" Sometimes you have to go off and experience life outside of your hometown. Meet new people, experience different views and cultures, but never forget where you came from.

The last and best thing about growing up in a small town is that the friends you started preschool together with are most likely still some of your best friends to this day. I could not ask for a better friend group or a better place to call home.

Never forget your roots.