Time slows down in Ohio. If you ask me why I love it so much, it’s because life there seems so simple- and not in a “well of course because you’re on vacation” way. It is simply because, in the small town, there isn’t insane traffic. There isn’t a bunch of red lights. Everyone is friendly and hardworking, and the town is quiet. It is peaceful. Long roads, cornfields, and sunflower fields. Cows- so. many. cows. Not to mention the natural lakes and the rolling hills. Life seems simple there. It’s peaceful to me.

In therapy, my therapist and I work on EMDR. If you’ve never done it, I highly encourage it. It involves creating a safe place in your mind in which you are able to return as you walk through traumatic or defining experiences with your therapist. As silly as this sounds, my family home in Ohio is that safe place for me.

Having snowbirds for grandparents gave me the best of both worlds, really. My family spent quite a few summers escaping the unforgivable Florida heat in a small town in Ohio. Have you ever been to a place where the smell of the air brings comfort? Memories? Well, Ohio is that place for me.

Mark Allen (my brother) and I would spend our days mowing the lawn, fishing, and swimming. Our nights were spent swimming and catching lightning bugs. So many memories come to mind when I think of Summertime in Ohio. All of those memories flooded my mind when Mark and I arrived at our family home.

We pulled into the driveway at 1:30 pm. The sun was shining through the tree’s shade. The cottonwood trees were in full bloom and “snow” was dancing in the cool breeze. It was 72 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We stepped out of the rental car and I took a deep breath. It was just how I remember summertime. I was home again.

We were greeted by my aunt and Mark and I walked to our room. We stayed in my grandmother and grandfather’s old room. It was always my favorite room because of the view. The 3-pane window overlooked the ivy garden bed, the brick-paved porch, the swimming pool, the rolling hill, and the pathway leading to the small garden and firepit.

Soon after our arrival, my cousin and her children came to the house and we spent time catching up and watching our children play together. After a delicious meal in a nearby town, my cousin and I said goodbye and my aunt, Mark and I made our way back to the house.

Mark has an early bedtime and after a long day, we decided to go to bed early. I opened up the windows in the room and watched the lightning bugs dance and light up the backyard. The cool summer breeze of Ohio felt like a late Florida fall.

The next day brought on another beautiful day- with a new adventure on the way.