Richmond Indiana. A small town with some pretty big memories. I had many of my "firsts" here. My first breath, first steps, first day of school, first kiss, first heartbreak, first dollar I ever earned, first morning in church, first mistake, first regret, first everything. It all happened here. I remember growing up that I couldn't wait to get out, and move far away. Now that my wish has been granted, I think I might actually miss it.

Richmond was known for the corn. People seem to think we are a bunch of city Yankees, and they are wrong. We have many farmers up there, and we are completely surrounded by corn fields. People still hunt up there and fish in all the ponds and lakes. When I moved down South, I actually lost some of my "country" traits.

I lived in a decent sized house with a green roof. I lived down the road from Richmond High School. This school is also full of many memories. I played softball, soccer, and wrestled here. Even with playing on my own sports teams, I always enjoyed watching the basketball games the most. Our gym was so big, actually it was one of the biggest in the state of Indiana.

This school is also where I met my best friend, Alexis Williams. She has always been such a kind spirit, I remember I used to make fun of her for being such a goody good. Now we are both strong in our faith, and our love for Christ is what the majority of what keeps our friendships so strong with all the distance. I get to see her maybe twice a year, which is hard; but makes those moments some of the best. I miss her every single day, and I search for her in so many people where I am now. She is the first thing I think of when I think of my hometown.

Even with my "firsts" and best friend imprinted into my memories, there are also scars that get cut back open when I do return. Part of me thinks the place haunts me. When I do visit, there are places I wouldn't dare return to. I would never go back to the house I used to live in. I would never talk to some of the people that still live there either. I think leaving was good for me but that doesn't mean my heart doesn't hold on to some pieces of it.

Knowing that I would never move back there permanently, I do miss some things. I miss the colder weather, mostly the snow. I miss my friends that I made there. I miss the family I have left up there. I miss the lakes I used to swim and fish in. I miss the church I grew up in. I miss the fields I learned to play softball on. I miss the coaches who taught me how to kick a soccer ball. I miss the bottom floor of my high school where the gross wrestling room was, I learned self discipline there. But I don't miss the preppy northern people, I don't miss the way people judged each other up there and I don't miss all the bad memories.

I have an issue calling it my "home" town. It was never really my home. The people there just made it feel that way. So maybe I was wrong, I don't miss my hometown. I miss the people in it.