Home!

I have found on social media that a lot of people who have moved since graduating from high school that where they grew up especially in the high school years feel still as home.

Most of those people however have been ones that I grew up with in Gig Harbor so sampling size is small but I do believe this to be true. Many of the kids I grew up with I went to school at least junior high so I knew them for at least six years anyway. Those who moved into Gig Harbor when entering high school or later so I knew them four at the most still feel strong about the area as home.

Both my sister Barb and brother Jack have lived elsewhere a lot longer now than then growing up in Gig Harbor however they still feel like it is still home even though they may never return to live here. Gig Harbor is still a small town but it is larger than when we were kids and a lot more places to go shopping.

When we were kids you knew almost everyone in Gig Harbor at least by name. A lot harder to do so now instead just those in the neighborhood and the people you meet. Growing up we had no places to meet other than possibly the City Park and going to your friend’s house along with the grocery stores. There were only a couple restaurants to go eat at and we did not do that very often. Now there are several coffee shops on every shopping center. There  are the places to go hang out with friends old and new. If I were growing up today in Gig Harbor I would like the combination of the old and new. Other words having the small community like it was with a few coffee shops to hang out in although my friend’s place was good to go as well.

I know some of the old classmates that have moved away have said it would be hard to move back now since it is bigger and of the traffic. I have not left the home area myself though I don’t live in the same neighborhood. I go back there once in a while and I can see it from downtown Gig Harbor. Almost all the old houses have been replaced by new and larger homes. On the plus side my house is still standing along with maybe a couple others. When my sister was here last year she said it was hard to find or see the old neighborhood. Not only have the homes been replaced so have the people. Only a few have remained.

I am sure many of you feel the same about the old home area whether you left or stayed. You go home for a visit but the feeling is not the same. This doesn’t apply only to small towns but the same for the large cities too. One thing though doesn’t change is the memories though they may fade over the years. Always nice to run into old friends where you can remember the good old days. What you may not remember they will and vice versa. We can’t live in the past but still a part of us for sure.