Growing up in a small town was always a good and a bad thing.
It was good because I wasn't in the middle a busy city, and it was quiet. Maybe sometimes, though, a little too quiet. It took me 30 minutes to get to the closest Walmart, and when my friends came to spend the night, they said I lived in the middle of nowhere. And I did. It wasn't always a bad thing, though, because I had the privilege to look out my window every morning and see the lake. Not many people who live in a city get that pleasure every morning. When you live in a small town, you know everyone. And I mean everyone. I always liked running into people I knew instead of that awkward glance between two strangers. I love the parades and the annual events that everyone makes a big deal about. But most of all, I love the community. I love that everyone takes care of each other.
In many ways, my hometown shaped me into the person I am today.
Growing up in a small town allowed me to appreciate the beauty of nature. I grew up spending summer days by the creek next to my house, or swimming in the lake. I was never bored because there was always something to be explored. The wide open spaces launched my love for photography. I grew up doing things that most girls don't do. I played in mud and fire, and I loved building forts. I love open spaces. I love living somewhere where there's not a million people around all the time, 24/7. I learned to drive on back roads, which was a good thing because I would not have done very well surrounded by cars. I grew up in a small church, which in many ways helped me find my calling. I have no idea who I would be today without the influence my small hometown had on me.
Now that I live away from home, I appreciate my hometown even more. When I do go home, it seems more beautiful to me. I can't help but smile when I finally reach the place I have called home for the last 20 years of my life. There's something about going home after being gone. After all, home is where the heart is, right?
To my small hometown:
Thank you. Thank you for all the memories. From elementary school to high school graduation, and everything in between. Thank you for shaping me into the person I am today. Thanks for being my safe haven. Thank you for being part of my story, and part of this crazy journey we call life. I am so glad that I have a place that I can always call home. No matter how far I go in life, a piece of my heart will always be in my hometown. It cannot be replaced. It will always be home.
