While I have little trouble talking at length about home and all that it entails – its physical location, its place in my heart, who and what shares my space, its appearance and characteristics, what it means to me, how it makes me feel – I do struggle to definitively answer one question:
“What is your hometown?”
During my childhood and youth, my family moved fairly regularly (both from city to city and house to house within the same city), a practice which I continued into my adult years out on my own. As you might expect, unlike someone who was born, raised, and lived the majority of their life in one place, my first response to the “hometown question” has to be a request for clarification.
Do you mean the place…
…where I was born?
…where I spent most of my childhood years?
…where I spent my high school years?
…where I attended college or university?
…where I lived for the longest period of time?
…where I currently live?
…where my parents live?
Or perhaps, from another perspective, do you mean the place…
…that feels most like home?
…I love the most?
…I wish was my hometown?
So many questions, so many different answers – all of them accurate in their own way, yet none completely satisfactory.
I think I’d rather stick to talking about home.
How do YOU define your hometown?
Written for GBE 2: Blog On –
WEEK #47 (4-8-12 to 4-14-12): Home
{ 14 comments… add one }
Oh wow– we could have had the same blog on this topic this morning. I share many of your same sentiments!!
Cheers, Jenn.
Jenn recently posted… Home
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 9, 2012
Welcome to the “moved a lot” club!
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
I still tend to think of my ‘hometown’ as the town where I was born and grew up, even though I haven’t lived there for 50 years!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 9, 2012
That makes perfect sense!
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
My hometown is where I was born, raised, and still lived. I am not much for change. ♥
Kathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com/
Kathy recently posted… H is for Home and Holidays
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 9, 2012
You know, I kind of envy that sort of stability.
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
Twitter: joheroux
April 9, 2012
My hometown is where I lived from age 8 to 27. I was born in Ohio, but moved when I was 5. I became who I am between 8 and 27, so that’s my hometown! Gaines, Michigan. ♥
Jo recently posted… HOME
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 9, 2012
That makes a lot of sense! Hey, your hometown (or at least your state) is right across the river from me!
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
It’s got to be whichever one I am currently living in, though for the most part I have quit calling any place a “hometown.”
k~ recently posted… H ~ He Said it With His Hands
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 9, 2012
Sounds a lot like my experience!
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
I lived in the same house from birth until college. When I was a kid, I swore I was going to one day buy my parents’ house and raise my own kids there. That didn’t happen, but that town is what comes to mind when I think of “hometown.”
Beth recently posted… Home
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 10, 2012
I love that, Beth! Such a beautiful memory – thank you.
Laurel Regan recently posted… What is your hometown?
My mum has lived in her house for the last 50 years so I have a strong association for that suburb as ‘home’. I now live across the world in Stockholm, but will always call Sydney ‘home’…
Lou Lou Loves recently posted… Day Spa Heaven
Twitter: alphabetsalad
April 11, 2012
That makes a lot of sense. Wow, 50 years is a LONG time to be in one house!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Fortune
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