I live in a small town about 12 miles southwest of Boston, Massachusetts, and let me just say, I love my state. But it’s not just my state I love, it’s New England as a whole. Whenever I think about New England I just can’t help but want to smile, especially now as I am sitting in the airport about to head home for Fall Break.
I can’t wait to breathe in the crisp Fall air and look outside at a world that is on fire because the trees are lit up in a multitude of yellows and oranges and reds. I know that a lot of states have a Fall season but I still think that New England’s are the best, even though I’m biased. But I mean it’s not just me. Every year, people flock to New England in the fall just to see the foliage. The colors really are amazing. I can’t wait to wake up and look outside my window to see a bright red tree swaying in the breeze. And, however annoying they are, the pine needles carpeting the lawn and the car are a welcome sight.
Another aspect of New England that I love is how easy it is to access both the mountains and the ocean. There’s the Berkshires in MA, the Green Mountains in VT, the White Mountains in NH, and of course the Hundred-mile wilderness in ME. And all along the coast of all these states, plus Rhode Island and Connecticut, is the Atlantic Ocean. I grew up skiing the White Mountains in New Hampshire and have always loved the feeling of gliding over the snow, and a lot of times the ice, on my way to the bottom. Riding the chairlift to the top of the mountain and looking out at the miles of peaks and valleys below is both breathtaking and humbling. In the summer I, like a lot of New Englanders, flock to Cape Cod. If you don’t know what Cape Cod is it’s the arm-like landmass jutting out of Massachusetts. I have so many memories of days spent building sandcastles with my cousins and later watching as the tides came in and the ocean took back what belonged to it. And at night, watching sunsets at the beach is breathtaking. The water below reflecting the changing hues of the sky above.
The history of New England is also another reason why I love living there. Living in a place where so much of our country’s history happened makes me feel more connected to the events that took place. I love being able to take a short ride into the city and seeing the history mixed with the modern. It reminds me of where this country came from and its humble beginnings.