Where do I even begin? You captured my childhood and I am forever grateful for you. You provided me with the softball fields I played on every weekend, the school systems that I always complained about, and lifelong memories that are hard to forget. You have shown me true friendship, community and loyalty. I owe a lot of my childhood to you.
You were there through it all. You were there when my sister broke her arm while on a roller scooter going down the "big hill" on our street. You were there for every Friday night, home football game in high school. You were there when I passed my driving test and when I backed into a car just two weeks later. You were there when I graduated high school and you gave me the best summer of my life before I left for MSU. You were there for my first heartbreak and when I packed up the truck to drive ten hours away for college. You are my hometown. I remember counting down the days until I finally was able to leave you. It's funny how things change after you leave but when you come back home everything seems to always be the same. Thank you for always being my comfort zone.
This is the place I had all my birthday parties and the place that I had my first crush. I owe so many things to this town. As I drive around town, I find myself reliving and remembering so many different memories. There is a story behind the tractor that sits on top of hill and the high school parking lot.There is a story behind every Fourth Of July carnival and fireworks. There is a story behind the little black mail box and the elementary school parking lot. There is a story behind each recreational field in town. There's a story behind the street you and your best friend got pulled over and you literally thought your lives were over.
If there is one thing I have learned since moving away to college, it is that your home is more than the four walls that surrounded you while you were doing your homework, or the counter that you ate breakfast on every morning before school. Home is where your heart is and part of my heart will always stay in this town. My roots are planted here and I wouldn't have it any other way. Spending a summer at home has shown me that I took you for granted when I was counting down the days to leave and go away to college. Home is where I grew up and how I became the person I am. Thank you for shaping me into the person I am today and providing me with a past that will always make me smile.
