Small Town USA

I grew up in a small town. We had 1 High School, 1or2 good clothing store choices, and a Wal-Mart. Being "from" a small town is great. Growing up there...well I can't really say I appreciated its simple beauty. I wanted BIGGER and BETTER and that place just wasn't cutting it. As soon I hit 18, I was gone. I left what I felt was a "prison" in the dust behind my little Toyota Trecel.
When I was 4 years old we had lived all over the world. In other countries, states, and great places. My dad was from a small town and decided to head back there and visit my grandma who was still there. On this particular visit he decided it would be his last "visit" and we moved to Missouri.  I used to ask often why I could not have grown up in California (where we were at right before this move) or England (where we had lived and where my mom grew up) or....well ANYWHERE but here!!  It wasn't till I moved away and had a family of my own that I understood just why my family picked that town.
They picked this place because of the simple charm. There were wonderful old homes on Broadway. There were the tornado's. I know that doesn't seem like a reason to pick a town and I am sure it wasn't, but it is something I miss. The way everything outside turns an Eire shade of green and it is more still and quiet than anything I have ever seen, really is amazing. I miss porch swings and people in their front yards talking to each other. The skating rink where I grew up and spent countless hours playing the limbo and dice game. I miss the State Fair and how the town got 20 degrees hotter each year on that week. I miss going out to old dirt roads and blasting music and having weekend bonfires. I miss how the town seemed to revolve around Friday night football games at JJ stadium. I miss the cold evenings in a cheer uniform drinking hot chocolate and cheering on the team. Everyone looked out for each other. At the time I felt it was an annoyance. Everyone knew everything about you and I wanted to disappear into a city of people. Then there were the greatest "Goober Burgers" in the world at the Wheel In Drive In! Wow do I wish you could still sit a 50's style diner counter and eat a peanut butter burger with a chocolate shake.
There are about a million more things that once made me hate this place that I wish I could have again. It makes me reminisce of a wonderful time in my life where my dad coached my soccer team and everything was simple. I know now just why that is the place where I got to grow up and I could not be more proud to say where I come from. Maybe you just need to go away from it in order to appreciate it? I haven't been back in over 10 years.....The skating rink was demolished in a tornado this past year. The Wheel In Drive In is gone to make the road bigger I think (?).  The roads that so many bonfires were lit are now paved and used. My High School is even no longer being used. It was like the oldest coolest old building around. I know that things change and time changes everything, but I am so thankful that I have the memories from my Small Town USA!!!!