it may not sound like much

...but it's where I'm from

There's something special about growing up in a small town. I would be lying if I said I was from a one stoplight town, but I do consider the town (or more like area) where I grew up to be small. There's nothing like going to Wal-Mart and what should be maybe an hour long trip turns into 2 or more hours because your mom stops to talk to at least a dozen different people that she knows (and that's not counting the casual "heys" to others). Or your entire school filling up a restaurant after a sporting event. Or the lady behind you at the cash register vouching for your check because you don't have an ID because she knows your dad works at the bank.

I grew up in what we affectionately call "The Valley," just 20 miles from Auburn on the Georgia line. The Valley is on eastern time, unlike the rest of Alabama, with a few exceptions. Growing up in the Valley means traveling to Auburn for almost anything (I am an Alabama fan through and through but will always LOVE the city of Auburn). It means being creative when it comes to figuring out things to do with your friends. Some people opted for loitering at determined spots, but not my friends and me. When you visit the Valley, it seems like time moves more slowly. Things are more relaxed. People do not drive as fast.

My parents moved after I went to college, and it makes me miss that place even more. There's nothing like going "home." You can't go anywhere without knowing someone there, and I like that. I wouldn't trade one single day. I'm proud to say I love this place.