I've Lived Here All My Life

The other day on the Terminal Discord server, @thekittygirl shared a list of writing prompts to choose from whenever we run out of ideas. Last week, I picked one to write on, and this week I am back with another which asks the question below:

Do you live in the area where you were born. If yes, why did you stay?

I think this is one of the most interesting prompts I have come across on Hive, mainly because I've never thought of or answered the question before. Growing up, I often heard people talk about relocating, especially when I was in boarding school. From my discussions with random people, I realized that many students moved because their parents were transferred to another state for work. Others relocated because their parents had built their houses in a different city or returned to their states of origin. For me, it was the opposite.

I have lived in one place(this place) all my life. Now, I am not counting the years I spent in another state for my university education because I often returned home at least twice a year. So if I am asked, it still feels accurate to say I have lived here all my life. What makes this more interesting is that this place I speak of, is my actual hometown. It is my village, where I was born and raised. My parents never had a reason to relocate because my father had already built our family house on his land.

Even though my siblings and I have occasionally thought about asking him to build a family house elsewhere, we knew he would never agree. My father strongly believes in living and dying on the soil where one was born. To him, it is perfectly fine for his children to relocate and build their lives elsewhere if they choose. But I know a part of him hopes that one of his children will stay behind to keep the culture alive, and raise a family here after he is gone.

While I am unlikely to be that person, I have felt a deep connection to my hometown over the past two years. That feeling became stronger last year when I finally returned home after school. It felt like this was where I needed to be for a while. Even when I had the opportunity to relocate earlier this year, I declined. It's more like I get this feeling that my home still needs me and I need it too. So, I chose to stay because this is the place I have known for the most part of my life. It is where I meet familiar faces daily, where I can walk comfortably at night, and where I can eat from my neighbor’s plate without fear.

This soil celebrated my birth. This vicinity gave me people who nursed me as a baby and others who cared for me as I continued to grow into adulthood. Staying here keeps me connected to my roots and allows me to experience culture in its many forms, both good and challenging. It's a place that comes with the kind of stories that could inspire a book someday. Over the years, it has also evolved from a small, underdeveloped village into a growing town with improved infrastructure and basic amenities. Even with all these positives, I'm certain that one day I will relocate. But for now, this is my home, and I have chosen to stay.

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