A narrow road between buildings in Italy

“Where I Come From” is a Darling series that pays homage to the cities, towns and countries that we call home. Although we are not defined by where we come from, these places are a defining part of our stories.

Where I come from is a place of gratitude.
It’s a small, quiet town in the Midwest
With a river at its feet, tickling its toes.
A body of water separates my hometown from a nearby city.
Just a quick drive and you’re in a bustling place
Filled with people, music, stadiums, fancy hotels
And food from almost every country.

Where I come from is a place that allows for the best of both worlds.
I can choose when I sit in the stillness
And when I listen to my heart
That occasionally longs to be drenched in the buzzing of city life.
The smaller of the two, my slow-living escape,
Where I once laid my head at night,
Is filled with family get-togethers
And pizza every Friday night.
It’s a place with neighborhoods and best friends so close
With walks in the evening, bonfires, bike rides, secrets,
And childhood memories, which I love the most.

Where I come from is a safe space,
Where it’s harder to break the rules.
It’s a place of forgiveness,
With the consistent rebel of Mother Nature.
She brings all four seasons,
But in a jumbled order, giving us quite a mess.
With snow in April, warm, rainy Christmases,
And the occasional tornado or two
With hail storms to boot.

Where I come from is a town
Where teenagers can’t wait to leave,
But the comfort of knowing someone
Everywhere you go makes them stay.

Where I come from is a quiet place
With little lakes,
Fields of corn,
the occasional snow,
And not many places to go.

I didn’t move far away from where I’m from,
Just 20 minutes west to a place in the hills,
My own mini-mountain getaway.
A new place
Where it’s easier for me to breathe
With my drives lined with towers
Of evergreen trees.
A place just far enough away
Where I can be wild and free
With breathtaking birds-eye views
Of that nearby buzzing city.

Image via Lily Glass, Darling Issue No. 15

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