To the town I grew up in,

I know, maybe my definition of a small town is pretty small (1300 people). But that's okay. There is an infinite list of things I would have missed out on had I not grown up here, and vice versa, but I wouldn't change it for a thing.

By the time I graduated high school, all of my classmates were basically my brothers and sisters. If I ever needed something, I knew that I could call any one of them any day and they'd have my back (thanks guys). I'm not just talking about a friend group here, I'm talking my entire class. Thanks for giving me people I will always be close to.

I knew everybody, and everybody knew me. Sometimes it was hard, but most of the time it was just fine. Extra bonus: us small-towners even knew everybody by the car they drove. Thanks for teaching me that there's people out there who I will always care about and who will always care about me.

I grew up in the same hallways of the same school, and after twelve years, I knew it by heart. I learned to drive on the same streets that I learned to ride my bike on. I took pictures in the same places a hundred times over. Thanks for teaching me how to find the new in the old.

There was not a single big town within a two hour drive. We were completely surrounded by wilderness, wild animals, and dirt roads. Thank you for showing me how wonderful it is to be so far away from all the craziness.

If I needed some alone time, I could just step out my backdoor. I realized that this isn't the case in bigger towns, and boy, do I miss it. Thanks for teaching me that spending time in your own solitude is just fine.

The river was nearly right outside my backdoor. The lake was five minutes away. A hundred lakes and rivers were only a bit of a hike further. Thank you for showing me nature in its purest form.

I had the opportunity to take art classes and participate in music, and I could participate in any sport of my choosing. Thank you for giving me a shot at things I would have otherwise never gotten a chance to do.

When I'm homesick, I think of my home and my family and friends. I think of that place where I've spent most of my life. Thank you for giving me a place to come back to.

You saw my tears and my bruises, and you watched me get wounded. You watched my scars heal, and you saw my successes. You saw the best times and the hardest times of my eighteen years. No matter where life takes me, where I travel, or what new places I fall in love with, I will always hold you close. You will always be my home.

Yours Truly,

A Girl From a Small Town