Somewhere in Neverland

“A Change of Heart”

I spent my last night in Wyoming before heading back to Denver looking through one of my family’s old rubbermaid tubs full of photos. The tub was full of anything from happy memories, sad memories, embarrassing memories, and everything in between. Some of the photos reminded me why I loved growing up in Wyoming, while others reminded me of the rougher times from my childhood and why I wanted to move away in the first place.

We found old photos of myself fishing for the first time, getting my first dog, camping, and other photos of family members that have passed. The stories that came out of the photos were pleasant and amusing to hear whether the memory that coincided with the photo was sad or not, and it gave me a better appreciation for the place where I’m from. But other photos of old classmates and friends also brought back some more somber memories that highlighted how my winter break went.

My entire break consisted of seeing a lot of people from my past in high school that I honestly would’ve preferred not to see, the downside of growing up in a small town, I guess. I certainly don’t feel like the same person I was in high school and I definitely feel like moving to Denver at 17 by myself has helped start to mold me into the person I want to be, but I always feel like I revert back to old habits and mentalities when I’m visiting town, which is the major reason I don’t wholeheartedly enjoy going home, especially not for a month long break.

That being said I always miss my parents and my dogs terribly while I’m away and always try to remember my roots to humble me, I just feel that I’m my best self in Denver. But there’s nothing wrong with remembering where you’re from, the good and the bad memories, as long as you learn and grow from them.

Editor’s Pick: “A Change of Heart” by The 1975