From the bright lights of New York City,

to the small town of Cranford, New Jersey,
the distant home of a person very close to me.
I can see her now,
hours away,
walking in the brisk air from her house to school.

From the crowded, yet loved parks of Disney World,
to the antler arch of Jackson Hole, Wyoming,
the glow of lights shining in the antlers
like stars in the sky.            
Under the blinding lights of football stadiums
all the way to the soft sands of quiet beaches.
By car, by plane,
and never on my own,
always accompanied by friends and family.

In a big house on Lake Gaston:
living in a bathing suit,
the smell of sunscreen and fish in the air,
sounds of soft waves hitting the rocks by the dock.
The fire crackling around us,
engulfing us in its warmth

And best of all,
in my home
with my family,
gathered around the counter
in our kitchen,
country songs playing softly in the background.