Dear Hometown,

It's been almost two years since I left you and as much as I want to say I don't miss you and I haven't looked back since, I know I would be lying. But just because I miss you doesn't mean I should go back to you. You saw me through my highest highs and my lowest lows and supported me through it all. At times I blamed you for all the bumps in the road. I thought all of my problems were caused by growing up in a small town where rumors spread like wildfire. But it's not the town to blame, it's the people. In middle school it was rare to find a genuinely nice person. People were two-faced and selfish, but you watched me grow from these issues.

It's so hard for me to let you go since we have so many memories together, but I know I have to go out and find my place. You saw my first steps, my first day of school, my first job, my first kiss, my graduation. These memories that you shared with me shaped me into the person I am today and I am forever grateful for that. But as much as I love you, I need space. I can't be confined to your town lines forever. I know you saw it coming, which makes it even worse, but I promise I'll keep stopping by every once in a while.

If you ask any of my friends, I talk about you to them all the time. You aren't like the rest of those towns out there. You're something special. You're home. I am so grateful to have grown up in such a sweet town where you know the person serving your coffee and your guidance counselor had your whole family line when they came through the school. I miss going to the farmer's market every Sunday and eating falafel. I miss drinking milkshakes at the fair. I miss running out for coffee every morning in town. I miss summertime hikes. I miss your beauty and character. I'm so lucky to have spent 18 years in such a wonderful place, but now it's time to see what's out there!

I'll see you soon!