Roots and wings

Consider this my ode to the beauty of flourishing beyond the horizons of one’s hometown.

The gentle hum of familiarity, the comforting embrace of routine, and the nostalgia of childhood memories- there’s a magic about one’s hometown that can’t quite be replicated. Maybe I’m just one of the lucky ones. But I’d like to think someone, if not many someones, have an idea of what I’m talking about. Coming back to the place filled with so many of the hearts and memories that shaped me ALWAYS reminds me to be grateful for exactly where my feet are in that moment. With that, I must emphasize that coming home is personally all the more special for me because I felt the winds of change whispering in my ear just a few years ago. 

A certain restlessness and eagerness to chase a dream beyond the boundaries of what I’d always known stirred within me until I could no longer ignore what had been building for so long. During my senior year of high school, just prior to the introduction of the pandemic, I began my pursuit of fulfilling my childhood dream of dancing competitively and representing my future school at the collegiate level. If you know anything about dance, you KNOW this isn’t something your heart or head can only be halfway in if you want to succeed. 

During this particular year, a bit of a butterfly effect led to an incredibly last-minute eight-hour drive to Baton Rouge where I would go on to attend an LSU Tiger Girls Dance Team clinic. Let me be clear, this occurred late in the spring in which I was about to graduate and I had fully never crossed state lines into Louisiana prior. Without family ties or previous travels to the state, I showed up blindly with only a strong admiration for a well-known team of powerful dancers. I left that weekend with a newfound appreciation for the place that stole my heart and would soon become my home for the next four years of my undergraduate studies. 

Though I only represented LSU as a Tiger Girl for the first of those undergrad years, this change of address and pursuit of a dream was only the beginning of a ripple effect on my journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and deep appreciation for the potential I had not yet fulfilled (and am continuing to embrace). Freshman year is truly a story for another time, thus I will continue to focus on the main theme of this particular piece of writing for now. 

I can attest that one of the most empowering facets of venturing into the unknown when moving elsewhere is the autonomy it affords. Decisions are an everyday, unavoidable, understood part of life. Big and small, we constantly must choose something. The realization that suddenly EVERY decision was mine to make as soon as I was in a new space allowed me to see just how many pieces of my personality had been dormant my whole life- pieces that I didn’t know existed. Going to college 500 miles away gave me the freedom to choose from an endless number of paths. Though I’ve tried out many of them, I truly believe wandering down any would have led me to the same conclusions- a couple of those being that it’s okay to live a life that other people do not fully understand and that you cannot grow in an environment you’re trying to outgrow. 

Beyond the acquisition of one’s independence and personal empowerment, the beauty in testing the waters of a new place is the exposure it brings us to new perspectives, lifestyles, and ideologies.

I value the people met and the lessons learned within my safe space of a hometown; though, it was but a sliver of the cultural kaleidoscope that awaited me. Despite Alabama and Louisiana both being reputable states within the southeast, the varied cultures and histories stem from incredibly unique roots. Over the past few years, I’ve become an expert (not really- only the Louisianans can claim such skill) on everything from New Orleans Mardi Gras to Cajun French to every form of crawfish cuisine you could dream of… things I was entirely unfamiliar with before making my way to the bayou. I truly believe that opening your eyes to the range of backgrounds of the people around you, while being intentional with your interactions, is the most fruitful and impactful way to learn about the rich mosaic of human existence. 

Now let’s address fear. A meager four-letter word that carries a whole lot of power. Trust me when I say that I am no stranger to the word, and it certainly comes into play when navigating unfamiliar terrain, both figuratively and literally. When faced with such a feeling as fear, I often find it important to weigh the risks and rewards of diving headfirst… into whatever the situation may be. I can assure you that risks tend to be a bit more situational and minimal in comparison to the rewards you are certain to receive, regardless of the exact situation. Take my decision to move off for college- I was fearful of all the things that COULD go wrong or MIGHT not be ideal, but I KNEW I would be rewarded by a developed sense of self, a newfound ability to embrace change, a greater appreciation for diversity, and a confidence stemming from resilience. I’m here to tell you, things did go wrong at times and not every situation I’ve been in has been ideal. But- I reaped every last one of those rewards and would go back and make the same decision to take a leap a thousand times over again. 

In a sense, I haven’t stopped taking leaps since I started. 

The process of making forever friends in college? Took some leaping. My first college job? Definitely a leap. Summer internships in Hawaii and Washington D.C.? Leap and leap. Figuring out who I am without dance being my entire personality? Debatably the greatest leap of them all.

The point is that there are people out there to meet, lessons to learn, self-growth to explore, wings to be spread, and adventures to be had far beyond the boundaries of what each of us has always known. I am happy to share that now, as I approach taking whatever my next great leap may be upon graduation, I feel equipped to continue my journey of self-discovery and seek beauties of the world beyond. I am also happy to share that my cherished sanctuary of home only becomes more precious as time goes on, and it will remain a place to which I may always return further enlightened and enriched by my adventures undertaken elsewhere.

If the winds of change whisper in your ear as they did mine once upon a time, I encourage you to listen intently. Listen intently no matter the phase of life you’re in. Listen and embrace and experience and learn and enjoy. I promise you’ll be changed for the better.

Sincerely,

SB