Dear Terrell, Texas,

Eighteen years. Eighteen long years, that now seemed to have gone by in a blink of an eye. Growing up, there was always mixed emotions about you, but in the end, everyone loves you, even if they won't admit it. Like most small towns, you are a vicious cycle of people being stuck there, which isn't always a bad thing. But for me, being able to break that cycle was the best possible thing for me. Growing up here, on the other hand, was the second best thing for me.

I loved growing up in a small town with almost nothing to do. The movies. The skating rink. The park. The mall. Or McDonald's. That was about it, but we always made the best of it. I loved growing up knowing all the students and teachers in my school. I know I had my fair share of great teachers, terrible teachers, and teachers that should have retired a long time ago. I had teachers who genuinely cared about their students enough to invest in them and encourage them. I had teachers who've changed my life by just pushing me a little harder during Calculus or World History. I've had teachers who made me hate going to their class everyday because of how much they hated their jobs and their students. Teachers, good or bad, have all had an impact on me.

Although, teachers who sponsored or ran organizations are the ones who helped instill a passion in me. A passion that I carry the rest of my life. A passion that taught me to put my all into the things I care about and not worry about failing. Whether it was band, student council, or sports. I loved being apart of something that made me apart of not only the school, but of the town. Each organization always had a way of bringing everyone together. High school football especially, whether we were having a bad season or going to the third round of playoffs, the stands were always electric. So many hours of hard work and practice by every student involved in making those Friday nights a success always paid off. Win or lose, these students had the opportunity to do what they loved every week.

I loved it. And although I never thought I would, I miss being apart of such an amazing town with amazing people.

Although I have now started a new life hours away, I will always carry a piece of you with me. The experiences and the memories we made are forever engraved in my heart. I can not wait to return with my kids some day and bore them with stories of homecoming, late-night ice cream runs, bus rides, evil teachers, bonfires, and roaring crowds. Maybe tears will come to my eyes as I remember the feeling of a bunch of teenagers in ripped jeans feeling like they ran the town. Teenagers just as confused and lost as ever finding a place to belong here.

So, thank you for not telling on me when I was out way too late with my friends. Thank you for showing me how to bring a community together. Thank you for having the best $5.99 Chinese Buffet and Tex-Mex places. Thank you for all the changes you have made over the years. And thank you for always being my home.

You don't realize that some of your best days are happening when they are happening, but at least you get the opportunity to go back to the town where they all happen and be hit with a wave of nostalgia. I am glad that I was able to grow up here and eventually leave here to pursue my dreams and continue having some of the best days of my life.

Terrell, Texas will always be home. Thank you to teachers like Mrs. Hogan, Coach Lantrip, Ms. Christeson, Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Drake (RIP) and many others for showing me what passion truly is and inspiring me to pursue a career in teaching.

#ComeHomeProud