My hometown is where I am rooted. It is there I made my first best friend, attended my first school, rode my first bike, cried over my first heartbreak. It is where I discovered my passion for music, my love for reading, and my strength. My hometown is a part of my heart that I will never abandon.

Sometimes I find it crazy that for eighteen years all I wanted to do was leave. To be honest, I hated it. I hated the closeness of everyone and everything. I hated walking into the supermarket and having people know who I was. I hated hearing neighborhood gossip and listening to other's stories of heartbreak.

When I left for college, I told myself I was leaving to escape the fate of my hometown. I felt like staying there would forever keep me in the shadows of success.

When I left, I planned a life full of adventure. I needed to go out and explore new cities, new things! I didn't realize that my hometown had already given me more adventures than I could count. From midnight bowling games to rendezvous around the mall, this tiny town never ceased to show me a good time.

I never thought I would admit this, but I miss it. I miss the quiet nights, the comfortable silence, and the friendships made in this town. I miss the simplicity of coffee shops and parks. I miss the movie theatre where everyone was on Friday and Saturday nights.

For so long, I thought that my hometown would prevent me from being the person I wanted to be. I was terrified of attending the local college and staying close to my parents due to the fear of me not being able to grow. I was very caught up in the idea of "independence" and thinking that I was better than my tiny town. (This was an awful assumption, I have since come to admire my roots.)

While I miss my hometown terribly, I am still confident in my decision to leave. Coming home is that much sweeter. Leaving my hometown has taught me independence, confidence, and the ability to care for myself. I am much more confident in myself, something I never thought would happen.

So to my hometown, thank you.