You CAN have roots and wings

It's a well-known fact that I have a love-hate relationship with my hometown. I grew up here thinking, "I can't wait to get out, I hate this place", but that was wrong. I love Chatsworth; I just couldn't stand some of the mindsets I grew up around. It took leaving here to open my eyes and see the world for what it can really be and not just what people wanted me to see. I've changed a lot since I left simply because I have been able to experience life in an unsheltered state of mind.
Still, every morning that I head into work, I can't help but get a little nostalgic. When I pull onto highway 411, my heart smiles. I roll down the windows and take in this sweet southern air. I see Fort Mountain to my right and I know... this place has a piece of my heart that will never ever be replaced. It definitely has its ups and downs, but it's "where I was born, where I was raised, where I keep all my yesterdays".
Sometimes I’ll be riding down Greeson Bend Road to a friend’s house, and I get stuck behind a tractor. Seven years ago, things like that infuriated me. Now, I just laugh. It’s a nice change from the traffic jams I deal with on the days I’m not in Murray County.
The things I miss the most about living here are the small things that I never thought about until I was gone. Sunday lunch at The Village Cafeteria and walking the Loop are at the top of that list. I live on the busiest parkway in Canton, filled with franchise restaurants and traffic; things like homemade chicken casserole and peaceful walks around a quiet neighborhood do not come my way often. I can’t drive past the tennis courts on Chestnut Street without immediately flashing back to the times spent hanging out in the parking lot with friends after walking those two miles.
From my desk at work, I can see Performing Arts Unlimited, where I have so many memories that I treasure in my heart. Now my own daughter is in dance there, and I’m so thankful she will share some of the same experiences in this town that I did.
I may not ever live here again, but I will always call Chatsworth “home”. The friends I’ve made in the past six years always ask me what it is about this place that I can’t quite shake. I just smile because it’s not anything I can explain. It’s the feeling I get when I pass the courthouse, blasting shamelessly country music with my windows down. It’s the sweet little old men that go out of their way to open doors for me when I’ve got my hands full.
No, I don’t live here anymore, but I am still blessed enough to keep Chatsworth in my life. I don’t take one peaceful day here for granted.