Mansfield, Texas.

Might I recommend you listen to the song 'It's Time' by Imagine Dragons while you read this. It fits this post plus it's a fantastic song :) 

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

The first time I read this quote my heart strings tugged.  Seeing my hearts exact thoughts written out in someone else's perfect words, is one of the beautiful wonders in life.  I thought of two very special places after taking in the beauty of this quote; Glen Lake & my hometown.  

Glen Lake is Heaven on Earth and I cannot wait to visit Turner Steps in August.  I have been without this beautiful place for almost 2 years and the younger version of myself cries for its smell, its touch and the Truth it holds.  Although I do love Glen Lake, this post is not about the church camp where I grew up.  I want to write about Mansfield, Texas. 

Population: 60,000. 

4 (almost 5) High Schools

2 highways

All the good fast food places

25 minutes from Fort Worth

45 minutes from Dallas

Family

Best friends

TVO

Beautiful skies

Empty fields

Pretty back roads

Lots of heat

Potholes

Memories

Lessons learned

HOME

This quote fits this wonderful place I have called home for the past 8 years perfectly.  I am now half way done with college. WHAT? Coming home is a bit of a struggle when you live 5 hours away, 8 months out of the year, but it is always worth it once I get here.  I never though I would be able to sit down with enough to write about this place, yet here I am.  

I was sick of this stupid town, I really hated it this time 2 years ago.  I wanted out.  I was sick of the people in my classes, I was sick of the mundanity of it all, I was sick of driving on the same roads everyday, I was sick of the food, I was sick of the memories.  I needed something new to conquer, I needed a new adventure.  College is what I needed. 

I didn't realize until this April, but Mansfield, Texas holds a very deep and special place in my heart.  I can come home and although I have grown and changed since High School, this city will always remain the same.  Yes, new schools will be built, new restaurants and shops will pop up, Walmart may become more crowded, the walls in my room my be bare and I may feel like I have outgrown this town, but nothing will ever change the way Broad Street looks, feels and smells at 1 in the morning.  The Texas town is asleep, the roads are almost completely empty, but the street lights and the sprinklers are awake and busy doing their job.  With the windows rolled down and the music up loud, nothing can beat swerving around the potholes going a steady 48 mph around the corner behind Willie Brown.  Has anyone else noticed how pretty 287 looks at about 8:20 at night during the Summer?  The trees and the grass join in song with the glistening sun that bounces so perfectly off of the hot tar covering the highway's cracks & crevices.  Driving over the bridge on Main, past Town Park is also unbelievably perfect at this time of night as well.  A 9 AM bike ride with friends is always a joy, the humidity is almost unbearable until the coolness of the canopy above us replaces the suns booming rays.  The leaves are covered in dew and our usual trail hasn't been cleared of rocks and sticks so as we ride along we are joined by the snapping of twigs and squealing of brakes.  The empty fields with hay bails on almost every corner give Mansfield character and really they are just very pretty and I enjoy looking at them.  

I could go on and on about the things that are special to me about my hometown.  These are the things that will never change.  Every restaurant, park & street in this town holds a memory and those aren't going anywhere.  Growth is change and I have done a whole lot of growing since moving away to college.  As I continue to grow, change and alter I know that I can always look forward to coming back to this place knowing that the things I love most about it will always be here.  

Taken off of Turner Warnell at about 8:00 this evening. 

So pretty!