Nothing in the world is more comforting than going on a drive with the windows down as you breathe in the fresh air as it whips your hair into a semi-knotted mess. The sounds around you simply fade into nothingness as the familiar smells create a warming feeling deep in your bones. Nostalgia, the deep connection to a time or place you once had known, revitalized into the miraculous now.
As the smell of fresh cut grass and cow manure overcome my senses I gently close my eyes and am taken back to those times long ago in the heart of Pennsylvania in a rural cornfield. I can hear my dad telling our two teams to split up; boys versus girls. This was the ultimate test of who was really the better group. In previous years we girls had always lost due to the misunderstanding of the rules, but this year was different. We picked our team flag and were on our way through the “Tony the Tiger” themed maze. After an hour and a half of wandering and maneuvering through the maze and a little help from the hints we had received, we had done it; we had made it through the maze in a smooth and graceful fashion that to this day is inexplicable. The reactions in the boys’ defeat were priceless and almost as sweet as the freshly shucked and cooked corn we ate as a celebration.
These memories I share with my family and friends are what I miss the most about growing up. Annual road trips to Hershey Park where we spent three days getting on every ride we wanted like The Great Bear, Storm Runner, and The Super Dooper Looper, followed by a full day dedicated to exploring the magic of chocolate world, where of course you cannot forget the factory tour and wanting to buy EVERY single candy in the store you can easily get lost in. I remember each year collecting a stuffed version of a candy, first was the classic Hershey’s bar, then my favorite Reese's, then a Hershey Kiss and a Twizzlers. After our exploration of the parks we turned to the corn maze and then a local garden shop where all the kids found sheds that looked like houses, claimed them as our own and pretend to live in them. Our imaginations ran wild as our parents watched us and reminisced in the days they had as a kid.
Being brought back to these times is something no one can explain. My child hood memories and traditions are something I hope to pass along to my family and theirs forward. Nothing is sweeter than being taken back to the times I will never forget, except maybe a chocolate bar.
