We all have one, a hometown. Whether you’re from big city Boston, or small town Kentucky, we all come from a unique place that makes us who we are.
More often than not, we are scheming to get out. We want to go out and explore the world. We always think the grass is greener on the other side; there has to be something better. We don’t realize how important some things are until we are able to look back on them.
So often when we are in the moment, we have no idea how big a part of our life that moment will become. But as someone who has gotten out, and moved to my dream city, though it took me almost 21 years, I appreciate my hometown more than anything now. So as I sit here, filled with nostalgia, I will attempt to express my gratitude for that place that made me who I am.
Dear Hometown,
Well, it’s been a while, but don’t think I’ve forgotten.
You’ve seen just about everything. You saw me when I was a cute baby, covered in my own food because I was better at playing with it than eating it. You saw me the first time I tried to dress myself for school, and I walked out in clothes that didn’t match. And that first time I rode a bike by myself, but I went too fast and fell off and skinned my knee. Oh and then there’s that awkward stage, with the horrible acne and braces; yeah that was an unfortunate time.
But then I made it to high school, which had it’s ups and downs. That’s where I had my first kiss. That’s where football games on Friday nights were a month, and hockey games were equally important. That’s where I got stuck with the strict homeroom teacher that would always yell at you if you talked during announcements. That’s where I started looking at colleges, and plotting my way to get out.
So as I sit here, in a city that’s not so strange anymore, I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you. Thank you for giving me those memories I will never forget. Thank you for all the faces that will never forget me. Thank you for the nights I went to bed at 9 p.m. because I had to get up for school at 6 a.m. Thank you for the nights I stayed up until 3 a.m. with the best people in the world. Thank you for the touchdowns, thank you for the church pews, thank you being so good to me.
But most importantly, thank you for welcoming me back in even though I was dying to get out.
I may not have appreciated you then, but I sure do now.
