I don’t think that I was made to stay.
I find that I’m struck with wanderlust and curiosity to find and discover all that is out in this great big world.
I want to meet all of the people.
I want to eat food that isn’t offered in a chain variety.
I want to observe those who are different than me in their own setting.
I want to be an outsider to the larger workings of an intimate moment.
_ _ _ _ _
As I was searching for jobs post graduation, my Mom said something profound to me. We’ve always been raised to believe that we are in no way superior to anybody else. There are people who are in roles different than ours that we should offer respect to, but it doesn’t make them better than us. Get my drift? Same with places.
She said,
“I don’t want you to ever think that you’re too good for Plainwell.”
For those not familiar with my small hometown, let me enlighten you.
Plainwell, the island city, is a town of about 4,000 ish folks. These people, many of whom might read this, have known me my entire life and have watched me grow up. I feel fortunate to have so many people in our community that support and love me from afar. I have so many fond memories of this place that I call home. I remember learning how to ride my bike in the funeral home parking lot that sits kitty corner to my house. I remember walking to elementary school, the spring fling, and an abundance of competition for Accelerated Reader points. I remember finding my love of running through Girls on the Run and helping Mom make a course around our neighborhood, which is still in use today — brb, it only makes me tear up a little when I see the kiddos running. I remember putting on that #9 jersey and being proud to represent my community and school on that soccer field — winning some hardware along the way. I remember only going to Plainwell Ice Cream, never Dean’s (sorry, but it’s true). I remember when Wesco donuts were the only option and Hardings was Big Top. I remember going to the Fly Inn everyday for a week when Mom was out of town.
What I’ll remember and cherish most, was our home. It wasn’t ever just a place to sleep and eat, it’s the place where our family grew and changed. The house changed too. Walls were knocked down, floors jacked up and leveled, walls painted, new garages, perfect rolls of sod, you name it, it probably happened.
I’ll forever be grateful to have Plainwell be my first home (that I remember — Ferndale has a soft spot in my heart too).
_ _ _ _ _
In the midst of figuring out college, I knew that I wanted to move away and figure out how to live on my own, away from home. I needed a change of scenery and some diversity. Western was too close, MSU too big, CCS too concentrated on art, and then…there was Eastern.
I had never even heard of Eastern — it truly wasn’t even on my radar. I received a piece of mail, they had my program, so what the heck? Why not visit?
Mom and I chose a day in the summer to make the trek to good ol’ Ypsilanti. On the way there, the sun was shining, we had the music turned up, and I just knew that the day was going to keep getting better. I looked at Mom and said,
“Hey Momma, I don’t know why, but I’ve got a good feeling about this.”
And so the story goes.
I fell for the place immediately. It felt like homE. Everyone was so kind, the campus was beautiful, and the scholarship was favorable. My tour guide, Jared, and my advisor, Rhonda, were the first two people who illustrated to me the sense of community that Ypsilanti could bring.
Eastern and Ypsilanti became my second home. Again, another smaller town where I learned to navigate the places to escape when I needed a break, the best places to eat, and people who cared about me. The campus community, although a large school, felt small. I tried explaining that to someone from Germany not too long ago and he laughed as I described 23,000 students as a small community. I went back to the office where my journey began — I was trained by Jared, worked with Rhonda, and grew closer to my campus. With my job on campus as a CTG (Certified Tour Guide #4life), I was able to meet not only a lot of the campus community, but also a lot of prospective students. I was in the position to impact someone else in the same way that those two impacted my decision. HOW FRIGGIN’ neat?! Eastern was the right choice — it provided a unique sense of diversity, a greater appreciation for listening to conflicting views, an opportunity for me to forge a sense of self, and resources for me to excel both academically and socially.
After the summer of my freshman year, fresh off of a real world internship, I was ready for classes to be done. I wanted to experience my industry in the way that it was meant to be, so I struggled to get back into the mindset of school. I started dreaming of when my time in Ypsi would be done. I wanted to move out West and FAST. This happened for the next two years as my experience through my internships grew and I evolved. I traveled across the world and across the country and my heart wanted more.
I’d often speak to one of my good friends who is still local in Ypsi — he owns a business, went to Eastern, and is from the general area. He’s a real stand up guy and I know that my four years would be undeniably different without his friendship. He once said to me,
“You’re too big for Ypsi. You’re meant for elsewhere.”
He didn’t mean it in a rude or derogatory way, just very matter of fact and assured that he knew that I wouldn’t stay around. He knew that my heart was tugging me away.
_ _ _ _ _
And again, I’m brought back to the statement of, “Not too good for a small town.”
I was and will never be, ‘too good’ for the small towns that have shaped who I am. Without those two small towns, I wouldn’t have felt nearly as confident to pursue things elsewhere.
I like to think of it as, ‘these small towns just can’t provide what I’m looking for’. It doesn’t discredit the lessons learned, the people I’ve met, and the journey that I’ve had, but rather enforces that as I’ve grown up, what I want and who I am, is constantly changing and evolving.
I’m moving forward…to somewhere that feels bigger than anything that I’ve ever done.
Without a doubt and in time, Boston will be a place that begins to feel smaller. I’ll create a circle of people to surround myself with, I’ll know where I can go to gain perspective, and I’ll be learning how to make this new city my home.
I’m eager to find my place in this city.
To solidify a running route.
To become a member of the public commute.
To get projects at work.
To find the local dives that you just can’t go without.
To (maybe) become a Boston sports fan. 😉
To pick up old hobbies and find new ones.
To discover.
_ _ _ _ _
To the small towns that have raised me, thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support, undeniable charm, and for showing me that home was not just in the place, but the people. Southwest Michigan will forever be my favorite, as I am a Lake Michigan gal for life, but Southeast Michigan, you’ve got a chunk of my heart too.
To Boston, the opposite coast that I’d ever thought that I’d inhabit, I’m ready for your support, charm, and the chance to make you my home.
To the rest of the world, I can’t wait to continue seeking and pursuing new places and people. A little chunk of my heart is left in each place and with those that I meet. Looking forward to meeting you, wherever travel takes me.
Although in my heart I know that I’m ready, it’s been bittersweet to say goodbye to the small towns of my life. Exit 49A will forever be ingrained as the place that I come back to. And Exit 183, it was bittersweet to close a 4 year chapter of growth, but this Eagle will always remember the times that were shared.
I’m like a peacock, you’ve gotta let me fly.
And fly I will.
xo, jo