Photo by Paul Silva
I was born in a small town, raised in a small town and still remain in this same small town for the last 22 years. My entire life.
But for the same amount of time I have lived here, I have dreamed of being elsewhere; California, Hawaii, Alabama, Colorado, Arizona. You name it, it has run through my mind as a contender.
Growing up in a small town has its perks; you know everyone and see them everywhere you go, your high school is filled with the same people as your elementary school so names are a breeze, it is easy to navigate, too.
But as much as I love my small town and the people surrounding me, it is too small for me.
I have thought about living on the beach, or next to a lake, or in the forest. A place my thoughts can unwind, and my dreams can soar. The town I am in is too small for this.
I need change and I need to experience new things. I want to feel the ocean on my toes every day. I want to wake up to a lake view outside my bedroom window. I want to smell the fresh air and be surrounded by trees as far as the eye can see.
To everyone who says, “Good luck with that,” or “Come back to reality,” when I tell them I am leaving – you will see one day. I can make it in a new city, a new state. My dreams are bursting at the seams and this small town cannot fulfill my wishes.
So here’s to everyone whose dreams are bigger than the town they are in – you can make it, just like I will.