Where I'm From

I am from summer nights filled with sounds of croaking frogs and chirping crickets, from Otter Pops, and barefoot running wildly through fields with uncut weeds reaching wildly for the sky.

I am from many a home, from basements with grandparents living lives upstairs with ovens filled with rice crispy treats and freezers filled with fudgesicles-to prefabricated ranches on acres of first purchased land. 

I am from the milk thistle, cattails, crabgrass and dirt, the sweet smell of Lilacs, Hibiscus and Mint.

I am from barbeques, daddy daughter time, and elaborate holidays together.  From Cole and Shayla and Ryan.

I am from the homemade Christmas gifts every year and old records blaring the crooners as we sipped on pineapple punch and decorated grand Christmas trees with eclectic ornaments gathered throughout more years lived and filled with love than one could recall.

From "If you make that face, it'll get stuck that way" and "I brought you into this world I can take you out." From words made to scold or cause laughter, but said with love weighing heavily behind them.

I’m from weekends and summers filled with grandparents, camping, rope swings tied to tree branches, king of the hill, going out to dinner, movie nights and back scratches from grandma's loving hands.

From the old house that great grandpa built,  and summers spent stripping fruit from curling vines to make homemade jams and juices that can never be replaced by items purchased. From the swimming pool that brought the entire community together all summer long, and running streets with cousins and not needing to be supervised.

I am from Sundays at church and weekdays filled with Scouting events, seminary, and friends.  From inactive households and forging my own way finding "God", first by their definition and finally my own. From finding peace in something I am NOT from.

I am from parents who did their best to bring us up strong and honest, grandparents who were as close to us as those parents, and love filled memories hanging on the wall-faces smiling back at us reminding us where we're from.