GROWING UP, STAYING ROOTED
photo by Isicle
Experiences seem to intertwine and make us who we are, and although we change and evolve, the thing that seems to make us whole again is home.
This past week I spent most of my time in my hometown, and I found myself reminiscing of memories long forgotten and it made me cherish the small things in life:
The quaint and quiet streets.
The endless laughter coming from a gathering at the Coffee Pot.
The fresh air.
It’s been nearly six years since I moved, yet there’s something about familiarity that warms the heart—and that feeling is invaluable. Memories start to go vague, but are never stale, and every time I visit I am constantly reminded of the love and laughter that enveloped me during my childhood.
It’s funny how we change. Reality seems to be more real, if that makes sense. As we get older the bills start piling up, we start to understand the word “exhaustion” and we are more focused on the concept of “just getting by.”
Sometimes things get so busy and before we know it, we’ve slowly lost the core of who we are.
The word “grounded” has always been foreign to me until recently, and I am starting to understand how important it is to surround myself with things that inspire me and to keep those who have my best interest at heart close—it's about quality, not quantity (ugh, so cliche, I know).
I’ve never been someone who has loved my hometown. It’s little, and quite frankly, it’s boring. But now I see why people have always said, "you’ll change your mind once you’re older."
It could be that I live in a “big” city, so my undisturbed hometown feels secluded and tranquil, or it could be that I am just maturing and realizing how important it is to cherish memories.
But anyhow, it’s nice to get away from “the city” and recall your childhood. I visited with people who still have a place in my heart—which can I just say, it’s so weird to see everyone grown up and reminiscing about moments that seem completely ridiculous now.
You start to realize how many years have passed because of the hustle and bustle of life—then things get scary. The realization comes to mind that you are not 15 anymore; you’re actually an adult. A functioning adult is questionable, but nevertheless, still an adult.
Someone asked me, “Do you miss this?”
This? What is this? Life, being 'young,' simplicity, the town? "This" seems as broad as the ocean, so I replied with, "no I don’t."
And then I started thinking...
I really don't, and my internal monologue started going wild, as usual: "am I supposed to miss being a child, am I supposed to want to go back to certain moments in life, did I not have fun when I was younger?"
I’ve never been someone to dwell in the past. And although I have realized I have moments of wishing things were the same or that I was younger, I quickly try to bring myself out of that time-consuming thought because it’s pointless.
This is my philosophy: I fully believe that the more you dwell on the past, the less you move forward. So I’ve trained myself to reminisce for a bit, and then to move on.
Don’t get me wrong, the love I have now for my hometown is greater than it has ever been and every moment that was lived during my childhood is something I hold close to my heart. But as we grow older, I find that our heads drift in the clouds a bit more than usual, and I'm understanding how important it is to rejuvenate yourself by going back to your roots.
As I write this, I realize how the word “grounded” plays a part in my life. I feel refreshed—ready to conquer the world because of the love and positivity that I acquire from visiting my hometown.
The streets and faces that I became overly bored of seeing, now are things I find comforting. As I get older, I realize I used to see time as limitless, but now time goes by in a flash. Now moments come and go, and we're either stuck in the past wishing we could go back or we fully leave behind our younger selves and get lost.
I can't fully explain how important it is to live your life in the moment, but it's equally as important to know where you came from. Reference the love and the carefree spirit you once had, but then take it with you to jump into new experiences.
photo by Isicle
It’s so important to step out of your comfort zone—figuratively and literally.
The new experiences I have gained outside of my hometown have changed my outlook on life. It has made me appreciate life and all of its details, but it's also planted gratitude in my heart for my little hometown and the people inside of it.
This is for the ones who haven't ventured out because it was too frightening or for the ones who have lost who they are because they didn't appreciate or remember where they came from.
Everyone searches for a sense of belonging and once you find it don't let go. Keep it with you no matter where your journey takes you, and I guarantee you're spirit will be unsinkable no matter what obstacles lie ahead.
(As I am reading this, I realize all of this sounds very cheesy, but it's also very true.)
Thank you to those who have contributed to my heart and mind, as well as my journey. xo.