Leaving the Town I Was Born and Raised In: A Journey of Growth and Resilience

My parents left the state where I was born when I was just a few months old, around 2-4 months to be precise. It seems like my dad was transferred to a different state for work. Both of my parents are originally from different states as well. Our family moved quite a bit during my childhood, each relocation marking a new chapter in my life.

Half-Axis Washingtonian?

I was born on an Air Force Base in a location outside of Washington D.C., but when I was less than a year old, my family moved to Denver, Colorado. This is an area I call home, and I don’t consider myself a true Washingtonian or even a Marylander. I spent my formative years in Denver, a city that holds a significant place in my heart, and I call it my home for the next two and a half decades.

Boulder Metropolitan Area

Following Denver, I lived in Boulder, a city part of the Denver metropolitan area, for the next 16 years. Although technically part of the same region, Boulder has its own distinct identity. I consider myself a Boulderite at heart, a connection that remains steadfast through the years. Despite being a Boulderite, I have also lived in Southern California and New England, although my roots in Boulder remain deep and cherished.

Now, after being away for a few years, I am back in Colorado, more specifically back to the state where I was born and raised. However, the experience of returning home was a mix of nostalgia and shock. The house where I grew up has been torn down, and the place that once seemed expansive and rural has turned into a densely populated suburban area. The changes are undeniable, but they don’t make me feel any less attached to the place where so much of my life story played out.

Challenges of Life's Journey

Unfortunately, life has had its setbacks. Due to my inability to drive, I am confined to a small area, just 30 miles away from the city where I grew up and where I was raped twice. Moving away has been a significant challenge for me personally. The first rape, I have fully recovered from, but the second was committed in my grandparents' basement, a place I've had to sojourn after the incident for eight years.

Recovery from this second trauma has been significantly more challenging, compounded by the fact that my family tried to shift the blame onto me. Despite my own understanding and that of the divine, this has added an extra layer of emotional burden to my journey.

Though I am stuck in the area due to my inability to drive, I remain hopeful that as life changes, I will find ways to move forward and create a meaningful life away from the painful memories of my past.