Sorry Mom, I will always call Norman, OK my home.
Norman, Oklahoma reminds me of a lot of different things. It makes me think of the early years when I was a student and how excited I was to move away from home for the very first time. I had such a great experience as a student and joined a plethora of clubs and organizations like the rowing team and Alpha Phi Omega. I finally declared social work as my major and gained an entirely new family over at little ol' Rhyne Hall. I don't think you can't help but grow up during those years, and after 5 years of school and consistent relationships, I graduated to another version of myself.
I'll be honest, it took quite a bit of time after moving back from Gambia to feel welcomed back to a place I had spent so much time making memories in. But I went through the process of buying a home, building a new network of amazing and like-minded friends and looking at the community a little differently than I ever had before. I discovered a uniquely colored leaf and turned to examine the underneath side, which was much more interesting and compatible.
Then I embarked on this art and music tour and left for a couple of months. I had always admired those I'd meet that were coming and going, but still called Oklahoma their home, and all of a sudden, I think I am one of them. Normanites claim there's a vortex in the town, and I can attest to that. This time, when I came back, I immediately felt like a piece of the puzzle, returning to its rightful place. After 10 years of coming and going and seeing the same lovely faces, it is clear that there is something about this place. It feels like we are all doing our part to help continue to contribute to making our little bubble beautiful in endless ways.
It's nice to be here for a while, before loading up my pack on my back, once again, to see the other side of the bubble.
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