My home away from home has secured a spot in my heart that is constantly thought about. I dream about the next time I get to see you, the next time I get to relax in your presence, the next time I get to feel free as you make me. You make my worries melt away, and leave me at peace with my surroundings and my feelings. When it has been a long week all I can think about is driving the 5 hours to just sit. Sit in the grass, stare into the trees, put my feet in the water, and just soak in the serenity that you give me. You are the one who is there for me, the one who listens to me when I want to cry, the one who keeps my head above water at some points. The adventures you have provided and the memories I will forever cherish are two of the many things I thank you for. From the barefoot adventures, to the family get togethers, to the many life lessons, you will always have a special place to me. Not many people know of you, but that is the best part. I have you all to myself. I feel incomplete without seeing you at least twice a year, and I wish I could see you more than that. You are a place where I feel home, safe, and where I can be myself with no judgment. A place where I can think of my past, present, and future. I want to get married here, watch my children grow up to love you as much as I do, and have the same relationship.

You are not just coordinates on a map nor a town, but you are a place where time has forgotten. From all the animals, the fresh salt air, and the trees covered in moss it is easy to believe the rest of the world does not exist. In this time of chaos, elections, and opposing viewpoints everyone needs a place to get away. Somewhere to belong, to find who they are, and to think for their own person. It is hard to feel like your own person when everyone and everything throws opinions at you, but at this place you can be yourself.

Thank you for being there for me in my time of need. Thank you for keeping me sane. I cannot wait to be in your presence again and fall in love with you all over again, just as I do every time. You have been there for me in so many more ways than one, and for that I thank you.