north & south

My mom recently told me this bit of trivia about hydrangeas: the color of the flower depends completely on the pH of the soil. So the only difference between white hydrangeas and blue hydrangeas is the acidity of the soil they are planted in. And the more I thought about that, the more a strange parallel began to form in my mind: aren't the trials we endure, the ways we are tested and the adversity we face — aren't these what shape and color us, and make us what we are?

June 21st marked my family's 11th year anniversary of moving from New Hampshire to Georgia. The town I grew up in, Campton, had one traffic light. I knew every single kid in the 7th grade. The town I moved to had a middle school head count that dwarfed the entire population of Campton. The move had split my 13-year-old world in two: the world as I knew it, left behind, and the unknown southern abyss that loomed before me.

I hated it. For at least 365 days, I hated it every day. Hated the school, hated my classmates, hated my parents for making me move — you name it, I loathed it. The people talked strangely, and said things like "mash the lights" and "put your books up," when there was nowhere "up" to put them. I remember feeling "wicked out of place." Then I quickly learned that the word 'wicked' was not in a Georgian's vocabulary.

And then slowly, ever so slowly, the boiling hate started to simmer. A year after that, I had a fairly neutral opinion of the place. At some point during high school, a funny thing happened: I'd just been visiting my friend Laura in New Hampshire (who readily pointed out each time I used the word "y'all") and when the plane landed at Hartsfield Jackson, I sighed with relief and comfort. I felt like I was home for the first time.

Today, I'm grateful for both of my home states, and what they've brought to my life...


New Hampshire has given me:
an appreciation for the sound of snow and the smell of rain; a love of solitude; the ability to ski; a love of small towns and country fairs; & an enthusiasm for exploring the outdoors.

Georgia has given me:
a willingness to take risks; confidence; an open mind; an appreciation for SEC football; & the ability to make new friends.