Do you like living in the same town that you grew up in as a child?

Do you like living in the same town that you grew up in as a child?

A few days ago, I went for a walk to my bank that’s recently moved across town and my walk over there took me by places that I don’t normally walk or drive around. One of those places was an old Intermediate School that I used to go to and I couldn’t believe how much it’s changed. With all the structural add-ons, it really didn’t look much like the school that I attended back in the late 70s and early 80s.

I really liked living here when I was a kid. I had some really cool friends and there were lots of fun things to do then. Towards the end of my enlistment in the Navy, I was very much looking forward to returning to my home town. I suppose in a way, in my immaturity and naivety, I wanted to reengage with some of my childhood experiences. My return in ’91 clearly showed just how much I hadn’t really grown up yet. My objectives in life during my youth were completely different than the responsibilities I faced after leaving the Navy.

Little did I know while I was in the Navy that the economy around here was plummeting badly and even minimum wage jobs became scarce. Had I been more grown up, authentically aware, and responsible, then I would have sought out a job with Boeing after I separated from the Navy which would have placed me someplace far away from Bumblesville NY.

To put it bluntly, it was a harsh reality check when I quickly discovered that the authentic nature of my home town didn’t match the make-believe version of it that I longed to return to. I’ve since grown to really dislike living here and very much look forward to the day when I’m able to pack up and leave.

So how about you, if you live in the same town you grew up in, do you actually like it?

If you live away from your childhood town, do you ever wish to go back and revisit old memories or are you plenty happy to be away and never even want to go back?

Wishing everyone a most beautiful day!

Peace, Love and Harmony,,, Shawn