Home sweet home.

For the first 22 years of my life, 

 I lived in the great state of Ohio. 

 But as with all things familiar, 

I grew bored there and set my sights on something exciting and unknown. 

I left the Buckeye state for a short stint in Texas 

 and an even shorter one in Tennessee 

 before landing in North Carolina for several years. 

{I'll take a pass on how in the world I ended up in Florida for now

 and just be grateful for the dear,dear friends

 that have come as a result of my 7 years there.} 

                                                                                 Source: google.com via Melonie on Pinterest

But, back to Ohio... 

To those that have never been to here, 

I think there's quite a mixed bag of misconceptions. 

 Ohio is considered to be the "Midwest." 

That's just weird to me, 

because it's way closer to the east coast and the Atlantic Ocean 

than anything remotely west. 

 Even central. 

 My Ohio is mostly rolling countryside. 

 It has a few bigger cities that are really just large towns with decent-sized suburbs.

It is comprised of mostly blue collar folks 

who wave to you even if they don't know you 

and who would give you the shirt off of their back 

 if you were cold or naked. 

Or maybe even just because you like it. 

They are simple people, never pretending to be something that they are not. 

 As I step my way out of the darkest season of my life, 

 I am surprised by gratefulness for my roots. 

And ashamed to say that for many years, 

I wanted to be more than simple.
I didn't like that I was from somewhere so predictable.

But after growing up, experiencing life and pain and brokenness, 

I realize the beauty of simplicity. 

 There is something undeniable and irreplaceable 

 about the place where you were raised. 

It has snuck on me during this visit like a sentimental sniper. 

 Maybe it was the snapshot of my little one, 

(who looks eerily like me as a wee one these days,) 

running full speed ahead in wide open spaces.

or the familiar voices of multiple high-school friends 

who gathered to celebrate the marriage of one of their own.

or the vision of my family members a gathered around my mom's pond 

sneaking up on giant frogs to catch.

All I can say is that my soul found rest here. 

 It usually does when I come to visit my family. 

But this time it's multiplied by a million. 

I have never been able to appreciate so much the place that birthed me. 

 The people that birthed me. 

 Thanks Ohio.
You and your people really are pretty awesome.