The place that built me…
In this week’s blog, I wanted to talk about the place that holds mine and my family’s history.
While I did not take this photo myself, I felt it was an important piece of the landscape of Simpsonville, South Carolina, the place I grew up. In this photo is the clock tower in the middle of downtown Simpsonville. Near this clock tower is my preschool, the one I attended before my parents got divorced. While divorce is a touchy subject; I know, I felt I needed to include it because it did have some effects in making me the person I am today. Near my preschool and behind the clock tower is the most amazing ice cream station in the world. I might be slightly biased but if you ever find yourself in Simpsonville, please go, you’ll understand what I mean. That ice cream station has been around since before I was born, and I have gone ever since I was old enough to have ice cream. That means I probably was licking ice cream off my parent’s fingers since the first year of my life. Simpsonville holds near and dear to my heart, especially now that I am older and attend school 17 hours away. Simpsonville is the town I used to beg not to leave after my parents divorced and my mom moved away, and my dad stayed behind. Seeing my dad was an absolute treat from there on out. I got to eat ice cream and watch the trains pass by the clock tower. I got to pass by that old preschool and laugh thinking back on how the mascot of the school was a dog, and mascots have and always will scare me. Something I find funny about Simpsonville in relation to the rest of South Carolina is, for it to be in the South, it really lacked all those stereotypes about the South. I absolutely loved that about this town. Though I was born in the South, and the South will always be my home, I never connected with the southern lifestyle. You won’t ever find me in cowgirl boots, and I have worked hard to cover the accent that I know I still have. Weirdly enough, everyone in that town including my dad seems to feel the same way as I do. Either that or they also all worked hard to cover their accent.
Simpsonville wasn’t a mountain town; it had its parks and places to explore but in no way can be compared to the Cabin in which Barbra Kingsolver lived. Kingsolver was and can experience the beauty of nature and grew to appreciate that nature as her life continues. That nature is what built her and now her kids. For me, however, Simpsonville gave me a different view on nature and wilderness. I was always scared of what might lurk in the woods, so I stayed away from those to be clear. However, there was a pond near my house just before the woods that I would go fishing with my dad. Those were some of the most peaceful times in my life. Being at the pond, time stood still and all you could hear was the wind blowing the leaves in the trees. Although I had this peace, because of my desire to leave the country and my lack of connection with the country, I still needed that fast-paced city life. So here I am in Massachusetts. I do still believe wilderness and nature brings peace and holds so much life, which is why I need to go home, I need to stop by the ponds and flowers and appreciate what life has to offer because you don’t always get that in the city.
From reading the chapter “Home Work” from Red by Terry Williams, I found a quote that describes my feelings towards my home. “Each of us belongs to a particular landscape, one that informs who we are, a place that holds our history, our dreams, holds us to a moral line of behavior that transcends thought” (Williams 19). Simpsonville holds all my history and my family’s history. Simpsonville gave me dreams of being somewhere “bigger.” Williams speaks of a “bedrock of democracy.” Simpsonville is that place. We are a community of people working to preserve our town, our ice cream shop, our people. We want to keep South Carolina’s logo alive. “Smiling faces, beautiful places.”
Citations:
Williams, Terry Tempest. “Home Work.” Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert, Vintage Books, 2001, pp. 3–19.
Hey Ashton! I have to be honest I choose to respond to your blog because when you discussed your blog is class this week I was rather intrigued and wanted to read the whole thing. You call ice cream shops, ice cream stations? I’ve never heard that before, but I’ve never been done south and I’m a Massachusetts girl through and through. We probably say a lot of weird things around here that you’ve never heard. I wonder why it is as you said, that most people like yourself don’t really feel connected to the town or the culture. You must have some ‘townies’ that love their home and never want to leave. What is it about that piece of land, the small piece of the world that your hometown consumes, that doesn’t resonate with you or others? I guess it’s just hard for me to imagine not being connected to my home and the small piece of land my own hometown sits on. What makes some people so connected to their homes but others not? I think you are a testament that ‘city girls’ are not made, they are born, how else could we explain your connection to the city when you grew in quite the opposite. I think your experience with nature is a rather important part of the greater conversation of where our true place in the world is. 9 out of 10 people, including myself are going to choose a place close to home, if not physically then, metaphorically. Although you choose a picture of your hometown to incorporate into this week’s discussion it seems to be, I may be wrong, that the picture is more of a representation of your roots than of a place you feel most connected to nature and life itself. You seem to prove my thoughts true in your last paragraph where you describe Simpsonville as the place that molded you, while not describing it as the place you want to call ‘truly yours’. You did a great job with your post this week!! Keep the good work up, I look forward to reading more.
Hi! After hearing what you had to say in class I wanted to read the rest of your blog post. I like how much of your personal life you were willing to share in this post because it really gives the readers a perspective on your life and what this place means to you. It also shows personal growth just in the fact that you are able to talk about such a touchy subject like a divorce with confidence. I also liked how you talked about your favorite memories in your hometown such as the ice cream stand. When you talked about how you never really felt like you belonged in your hometown, I could relate because I have always felt like an outsider in every aspect of my life. The only time I feel truly ‘myself’ is when I photograph nature or other things I love. One other time I felt truly happy and as I belonged was, ironically, when I went to Vegas a few years back, but not for the reasons one might think. My family and I went on a full-day excursion to Hoover Dam, a cactus sanctuary, Red Rock Canyon, and a nature walk. It was by far one of the most amazing days I have ever had. I had such a blast taking photos of the landscape and I could honestly see myself moving to that area one day. The climate, weather, landscape, and housing all made me just so happy. Connecting back to your post, I feel like you have found your place here in Massachusetts just by the way you talk about your experiences here. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
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