To my hometown,

Thank you.

Thank you for giving me everything you could offer. After 18 years of living in the same house on the same street, I've learned a lot from the little bubble that you are.

Even though I rarely admit it, finding my home in you was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. If I didn't have you, I wouldn't be who I am today. Sure, every moment of my entire life has ultimately shaped who I've become, but you have always been a big part of who I am.

It's really easy to hate the town you grew up in. It's too this, it's too that, I would've been happier there. I don't think I went a day in high school without hearing how much people hated you sometimes. From being too small, too conservative, and too lame, people always found something to complain about. However, I don't want to play the victim in this narrative.

Don't get me wrong, I can complain, too. I'm not going to pretend that everything was sunshine and rainbows for 18 years, but I choose to remember growing up, in every sense of the word, growing up.

From the high highs to the low lows, without the times I felt down, I wouldn't be able to appreciate the times I was happiest to the extent that I do. I haven't forgotten the times I've felt stuck, out of place, or wished I was somewhere else, but I wish that I had recognized that you are sometimes exactly where you need to be.

I can't pretend that I loved even half of the moment I spent with you, but you have given me more than I can thank you for. In my years, I've heard a lot of people say awful things about you. I can own up to my negative comments, but I can't pretend to hate you. After all that you've offered me, I could never hate you. You've given me everything I have and you helped me shape the person I am today. Without you, I would've never gotten to where I am now.

Though I would have never realized the happiness I was missing until I moved on, I will always be grateful for all the opportunities you gave me.

Thank you.