I grew up in a small town in eastern Washington. We had a huge backyard that I spent the majority of my free time in. I built forts, I tromped around in the creek, I found snakes and other creepy-crawlies, and I would take a shady mid-day break in the most peaceful place: the limbs of my favorite oak tree. Often my tabby cat would join me and we’d lounge amongst the leaves. That oak tree was a place of refuge, but it also represented a connection to my parents. We planted acorns from that oak around the yard, in the nearby golf course, and eventually in new backyards after my parents got divorced. To me acorns also represent the potential in each of us. They are adorable little bundles of energy, and if given the right conditions, they will become beautiful, strong trees. Something about them just tickles me.
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| Cute little packets of potential |
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| English oak tree |
I have a strong sense of place, and I feel emotionally connected to my hometown still. There is something wonderful about really feeling like a place is ‘your own’. It’s hard for me to leave places to which I’ve gotten attached. When I moved to Massachusetts for a couple years after high school, I had an intense homesickness for my hometown (the weather, the people, the smells, the quality of light, etc…). I was so happy to return to Washington. This year I’ll be moving to the other side of the country (again) to begin graduate school. I’m a little scared to move away from Washington, but I’m excited at the prospect of an adventure and the opportunity to forge ahead in my career pursuits.
I’m moving to Raleigh, NC. But guess what? Raleigh is the city of oaks.
