The Next Chapter:
“Saying goodbye to
what I know”
June 27, 2016
Valdese, North Carolina.
“What is that? Huh? You’re from where? I’ve never even heard
of it. I thought it had a ‘z’ in the spelling. Wait, where are you from again?”
It became a joke amongst my friends after they got tired of
me telling strangers where I was from, and how I ended up at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Some of those friends even got to experience the BIG (not really) city of
Valdese during my senior year, and got to see why my voice sounds so funny.
Although my friends know I am proud of where I am from, and know I would be the
first to pledge my allegiance to the 828, Pepsi instead of coke, or how could I
forget sharing livermush (spellcheck doesn’t even know livermush), but nobody
truly knows what this town means to me. If I think about it, it wasn’t until
tonight, driving down Main Street that I saw the impact of this town that can get
lost on I-40.
Now, if you know me really well, you might think it’s silly
that I am saying goodbye to a town that still holds my parents, and I will only
be moving to Charlotte, which is an hour away. However, as I begin a new
chapter of all new things, I find it helpful to reflect back, and thank the
town that built the foundation that will help me achieve all of the things I
set out to accomplish.
Back to my drive down Main St.
For those of you whom have never traveled down the infamous
street, it has about 10 stop lights, 1 McDonald’s, 2 gas stations, a few thrift
shops, a bar, and a few other establishments. On Friday nights, its home to the
“cruise-in” where old folks take their old cars and show them off to anyone
that’ll look. Its home to a festival every year that draws all 4,500
Valdeseians out of their homes. Oh yeah, and the speed limit is 20 MPH, that
way you can soak it all in because it only lasts a mile.
The street holds a lot more to me though.
I remember going to the McDonald’s every Friday morning
before school to get a biscuit with my dad. I remember watching fireworks in my
mom’s van because I was scared of the noise. I remember thrift shopping for
homecoming week in high school, where I bought women’s clothing to dress like
Austin Powers. I remember my first tank of gas I had to purchase, where “Big
Red” broke down, and where I stalled at my first stop lights. There is so much
I remember, so much I will cherish. Then, a thought came to me, “why Valdese,
God? Why this town?”
Almost simultaneously, my phone switched songs (shuffle of
course), the song was Holy Spirit by
Bryan and Katie Torwalt. I know it sounds crazy, but in that moment I felt
something unexplainable, maybe it was just the sweat and AC giving me chills, but
I believe it was more than that. I believe the BIG man was was right in my
face. I don’t think he was in my face to make sure that I was going 20 MPH, but
He was there to let me know that I was born in the perfect town. Now that might
sound silly too. I could’ve been from a big city where I went to private
school, my parents could’ve held big corporate jobs, and I could’ve gone to an
Ivy. However, that wasn’t his plan. God placed me in this tiny, tiny town for
some reason, and that reason I saw tonight. It took me 22 years to really
understand it, but as I finished my drive down Main St. I felt at peace. I felt
like my time here was finished, it’s time to say goodbye, and to take what this
town taught me and use in my next chapter.
My next chapter, call it “The Real World” or “Charlotte, NC,”
is just a next chapter, same Austin. The people will not look as familiar, the
streets won’t be as small or slow, and the experiences will be different.
However, one thing is for certain. This next chapter of my life isn’t defined
by my plan, it’s defined by God’s and
that is special.
As a believer in Jesus, sometimes it’s really hard. It’s
hard to keep a straight head, to stray from temptation, and to have strong
faith. Sometimes I question myself, “how can that be real or true?” Then, I’m
reminded. The beauty of the earth reminds me, and nights like tonight show me
that God is so real. The real question should be, “Why have all of these things
happened to a kid from Valdese?”
At the end of this week, I will say goodbye to my childhood
home. I am entering a life of unknown, well I know where I am living and
working, but who I will meet, what opportunities that are ahead, and my journey
is unknown to me. However, I am at peace. I am saying goodbye to what I know,
but I am saying hello to a new chapter that is known by God.
You can take the boy out of Valdese, but you’ll never take
the Valdese out of the boy!
Here I come Charlotte, just remember, I’m just a kid from
Valdese.
Austin
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