Home Sweet Home

Growing up in Maine I got pretty lucky to have the best of all worlds.

Mountains up north and to the west. Ocean to the east and down the coast. Country in the central towns. City life down in southern towns.

I’m from the country towns. My life was nothing short of four-wheelers, bonfires, hunting, fishing, country music, pit parties. To say I am still that person is far from the truth, but they are my “roots” and I will never forget my days of camo wearing, diesel trucks, and “mudding”.

My years after high school were spent going back and forth between mostly the mountains and the ocean. And I still can not decide which I enjoy more; mostly because both bring me to different thoughts, emotions, places, and people.

The mountains are my escape from my thoughts. When I’m hiking, I am in a trance- mesmerized by the beauty of nature, the sounds of the wild, and the peace within me that I feel. The weaving in and out of trees, the climbing over logs and rocks, the rustling of the leaves; listening to my steps crunch whatever Earth put beneath my feet. Playing hide and seek with the views around me. Feeling the breeze gently blow the hair out of my face, and the sun beam down on me as I approach an opening that leads to scenes I can only describe as breathtaking. Hiking calms my mind, makes me feel strong and fearless, and reminds me that things in my life are so much smaller than what they seem. Hiking is the wake up call I need on crappy days; it is the reminder I need when I feel like my life is falling apart.

But it’s also the joy I seek on sunny days, the fresh air I crave after a long period away. It’s the challenge I enjoy for the view I long for. It’s the “picture perfect” moment I need to keep in my back pocket for those days that I just need to be reminded of everything that’s beautiful in the world.

And then there is the ocean. The ocean brings me a sense of wonder. I spend a lot of time thinking there. When I go to the ocean I’m seeking answers. I’m looking for reasons, I’m needing clarity. My mind is constantly working by the ocean. It’s only ever clear once I’ve found the peace within me, and that usually doesn’t come until hours have been spent walking the shore, climbing the rocks, staring at the waves. But once I get it, my mind is so free. I leave with a smile that can only be described as a soft curve of my lips and a content gaze in my eyes.

The ocean also brings me confidence, and probably because it’s where I do so much soul searching. It brings me happiness on warm days when I can read a book as I listen to the incessant sound of waves crashing on shore. It brings me relaxing moments met with thoughtful reflection about my time spent.

Both the mountains and the ocean bring me things I need in my life, and therefore I don’t think I could even live in a place where I did not have access to both. For as much as I never wanted to continue my life in Maine, I know that my mind, soul, and hobbies need the luxury of having both within 2 hours of driving, and for that, I am thankful to live where I do.