As the last few years have passed by, life in the Appalachian Mountains has been changing. The mineral that used to be the heartbeat of our region is almost obsolete. When I was a child, the entire idea of coal always fascinated me. The way it was mined and pulled out from the ground to be turned into electricity was intriguing. I can remember driving by various "coal fields" seeing the black gold stacked high and always asking my dad where it was going or how much it was per ton. Obviously, these things would not matter to a child who was not raised with something so dark bringing life to their family.

When I drive by places where mountains of coal used to stand tall, there is nothing. On the ground lays the remnants of what used to be full of life. As I pass by places where my dad used to "head under the hill" I see locked up fences and emptiness. No longer do I see mining equipment being moved down the highway. When I was younger, I would always ask, "What does that do dad?" Of course, I would always get an answer and now I know a decent amount of information about underground mining. Today, I only pass eight to ten coal trucks on my forty minute commute to school when I used to pass at least thirty. Trains no longer pass loaded full of the mineral that had been so rich in our area for years.

See, when my family lost coal we lost the lifestyle we had known for many years. We lost the comfort of my father in our own home as he had to start working away. We lost dirty boots sitting beside the front door. We lost the coal dust that graced our faces as we welcomed a kiss on the cheek as my dad walked through the door. We lost the sludgy remains from a long day that used to lay in our driveway that would fall from my dads work vehicle. Even years after my dad has been out of the mine, his hands are still stained with the black dust he left years ago. We may have lost all of these things but what we will never lose is the lessons that coal taught us.

Covered boots showed me that sometimes you have to walk through a lot of sticky situations in life. No matter how dirty your clothing may be or your boots may become when you take them off your skin can be washed clean. No matter what you walk through in life, stay true to yourself because who you are on the inside is what really matters.

Hugs that get your clothes dirty and kisses that leave coal dust on your face may be a little annoying but in all honesty they are the best kind. Running and hugging your dad, your brother, your husband or grandfather after a long day in the mine is a stain clorox will never be able to remove. Those are the kind of things that remind you what love in a family is supposed to be like, something that cannot be washed off and remains forever.

The dirty concrete on our driveway never seemed to bother me. While my dad was off at work, the muddy mess reminded me of where he was and what he was doing. It reminded me that even after a long day, full of dirt, life-threatening situations and being in the dark that he still came home. I always knew my dad was never scared of the dark because he was a coal miner. He had his lamp and even when he did not he would always check around the house if we heard noises late at night.

So now I can still look at my dads hands and see the reminders that many years of hard work have gotten him where he is. To me that is an inspiration to never give up and to always chase your dreams. As a man would head into the mine, he would leave his family, face the darkness with his coworkers and never know if he would return. Learning about coal mining and the challenges the miners faced everyday taught me a lot about life. Sometimes it takes walking into the darkness of challenges, not knowing when you will come back out but going anyway to get through this crazy thing called life.

My family lost more than just coal but the lessons it taught me will remain forever. What I was raised to know has allowed me to be the person I am today. I am proud to say for many years of my life that I was a coal miners daughter.