Some people grow up in a small town and never want to leave.
 

They love knowing everyone. They love the comfort of being surrounded by family, familiar places, and the same streets they have known their entire lives.
 

I was the complete opposite.
 

It wasn't because I had a bad childhood or because I disliked where I came from. In fact, looking back now, I realize how lucky I was to grow up somewhere like Biglerville. But even when I was young, I always felt like there was something bigger waiting for me somewhere else.
 

Biglerville is a small rural town in Pennsylvania, right outside of Gettysburg. Most people have never heard of it unless they are from the area. It is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, where apple orchards stretch across the countryside, and where farms are just part of everyday life.
 

I grew up on a back road surrounded by open fields. There were tractors driving down the street, farmland all around us, and mountains in the distance. My high school even had a "Drive Your Tractor to School Day." Students wore jeans and boots to class, we had agricultural Olympics, and farming was a huge part of the community. It was a very different environment from the places I would eventually live.
 

And honestly?
 

I couldn't wait to leave.
 

Ever since I was little, I dreamed of seeing the world. I wanted to travel, experience different cultures, meet people from different backgrounds, and see everything beyond the small corner of Pennsylvania that I knew.
 

My first glimpse of something different came from visiting Florida with my parents. I remember seeing palm trees for the first time and instantly feeling drawn to them. I loved the warm weather, the ocean, and the feeling of being somewhere completely different. There was something about being near the beach that made me feel so much better.
 

At home, the winters were always hard for me. The gray skies, cold weather, and lack of sunlight would affect my mood more than I realized at the time. I knew I needed sunshine, warmth, and a place where I could spend more time outside.
 

High school was also not my favorite time in my life. But it wasn't all bad.
 

Sports were a huge part of my experience. I played soccer and basketball, and those teams gave me some of my favorite memories. I loved the friendships I made, the feeling of being part of something, and the excitement of competing.
 

But even with those things, I always felt like I was meant to go somewhere else.
 

By the end of my junior year of high school, I was counting down the days until I could leave. I remember feeling like there was an entire world out there that I hadn't seen yet, and I couldn't understand why I was supposed to stay in the same place forever.
 

I wanted a city.
 

I wanted things happening around me.
 

I wanted new people, new experiences, and a place where I could walk outside and feel inspired.
 

Growing up in such a small town also made me realize that I wanted to be around people with similar interests and values. Everyone in Biglerville had their own way of life, and I respect that, but I always knew I wanted to find a community that felt more aligned with who I was becoming.

One thing I struggled with growing up in a small town was feeling like many people were comfortable staying within the world they already knew. Sometimes it felt like there wasn't much curiosity about other cultures, places, or experiences outside of our own community. I always felt the opposite. I wanted to know how other people lived, what their values were, what their everyday lives looked like, and how different the world could be outside of my hometown.

I wanted to be somewhere where I could meet people who loved exploring, trying new things, and seeing the world.
 

So I left for college.
 

And honestly, it was exactly what I needed.
 

Moving away to the Tampa was my first step toward the life I had always imagined. I fell in love with Tampa, the sunshine, the energy, and the independence. Surprisingly, I never experienced intense homesickness. I think a big part of that was because I had spent years dreaming about leaving. I was ready to build my own life.
 

But over time, something unexpected happened.
 

I started appreciating home more.
 

When I was younger, I only saw what Biglerville didn't have. I saw the things I wanted to escape from. I didn't appreciate the beauty around me because I was so focused on what was somewhere else.
 

Now, I see it differently.
 

There is something peaceful about driving down country roads with the windows down. There is something beautiful about wide-open fields, quiet mornings, and watching the seasons change. Biglerville has a simplicity that many people never get to experience.
 

I wouldn't trade where I grew up for anything.
 

But I also know what I need in my future.
 

The one thing I always felt was missing was the ocean and a city by the beach. I love being near water. I love walking along paths by the ocean, seeing people outside, watching people exercise, and being surrounded by a community that values health, movement, and enjoying life.
 

That environment brings out the best version of me.
 

I am someone who feels most productive and happiest when I can wake up with the sun, walk outside, move my body, and feel connected to the world around me. That is something I have found in places like Florida, Australia, and other places I have traveled.
 

But Biglerville will always be home.
 

I will always come back to visit my parents. I will always love the fall—the changing leaves, the crisp air, and the feeling that comes with my favorite season. I even appreciate snow sometimes, especially around Christmas.
 

But I know myself.
 

I need sunlight. I need warmth. I need bright days.
 

And maybe that is part of why I always felt the need to leave.
 

Growing up somewhere small gave me the biggest dreams.
 

When you grow up surrounded by the same roads, the same fields, and the same familiar faces, you start wondering what else is out there. Biglerville made me curious. It made me want to explore. It made me believe there was a whole world waiting for me.
 

Leaving home was not easy, even though I wanted it so badly.
 

I remember realizing I wouldn't have my own bed, my parents down the hallway, or the comfort of knowing exactly where I belonged. Independence sounded exciting, but it was also scary.
 

But leaving was necessary.
 

Sometimes you have to step away from where you started to discover who you are meant to become.
 

Even though I always felt called to leave, there are pieces of home that will always bring me back.
 

The sunsets over the open fields, the winding country roads I know by heart, my car driving down those familiar streets, my dog waiting for me, my room that holds so many memories, my lover and his family, and of course my parents and my family will always be a part of me.
 

No matter how many places I see or how far I travel, there will always be something comforting about coming back to the place that raised me. Biglerville may not be where I see myself living forever, but it will always be home.
 

It is the place that gave me my first memories, my first friendships, and the foundation that allowed me to dream bigger than the world I knew.
 

Biglerville gave me my roots.
 

The rest of the world gave me my wings.