There has been an ongoing debate in West Virginia for most of my life. It’s been a conundrum for as long as I can remember. West Virginia is a lovely place, full of natural beauty and wonderful people. It is also an embattled place, fighting a reputation of poverty and ignorance that is fueled by negative media attention, mostly from people who know little to nothing about the state. West Virginia has been mocked, used, and her young people taken away by dreams of the outside world where things seem different, better. There is some truth in the stereotypes, as there usually is. There is struggle, and there is poverty. The struggles now are against things like drug abuse, a poorly funded education system, and outdated ideas. There are people there who fight constantly against these issues, trying their hardest to make West Virginia better. They try to use her strengths to fight against the old ideas and to keep her people there or to bring them back home. It’s a situation I’ve been aware of for as long as I can remember. I have defended my home state on countless occasions myself, getting riled up about a negative comment or suggestion from someone who has no roots in the state and no familiarity with its hardship. Those of us who love West Virginia don’t take such comments lightly, and they hurt us to our core.

Almost 17 years ago, I moved to Florida for personal reasons. I left begrudgingly, to say the least. I was to be married and my new life was in Florida, with my husband to be and his children. I packed up my daughter and moved her away from our home to start anew. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I had grown up in West Virginia, and my daughter had too until she was 12 years old. I hoped that it had made enough of an impression on her that she would never forget where she came from and carry that pride with her whereever she may go. I hoped it was in her blood like it was in mine. In retrospect, I had nothing to worry about. To this day she loves her home state with all her heart, and even eventually moved back there where she now has a family of her own and is raising her own child there.

Florida is a stark contrast to West Virginia. It has a history of tourism going back to the days when only the wealthy could afford to come here. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had vacation homes here, Penney Farms was founded by J.C. Penney, and Jacksonville was once considered “the first Hollywood” as the movie industry set up shop here to film silent movies in the pleasant weather during winter months. In 1971 Disney World opened, bringing the theme park industry to Orlando; several others have followed. These things, along with natural beauty, rich history, and miles of beaches, were the foundation of the massive tourism industry in Florida. The visitors, the sunshine, and the activity give the state an energy. In the midst of all this, there is struggle here in Florida too. There is the drug trade, there is poverty outside of the tourist areas, and like many places there are old ideas that take root and are hard to change or remove for better ones.

I have lived in both places. West Virginia is my home and I will always be proud of that. I see the contrast between the two states, along with some similiarities. The question for West Virginia is, and always has been, how to hold onto the best parts of her past while allowing for a bright future for the young people. I don’t know the answer to that. There are better and smarter people than I who don’t have the answers either. The current governor has suggested elimination of the personal property tax in order to draw more people and business to the state and to foster growth. Living in Florida, a state with no personal property tax, I understand the benefits of this. It is definitely a perk to living here. In West Virginia though, where the education system is stumbling and the roads have potholes that are infamous for damaging your car, this could be very detrimental. How do you reconcile the two? Again, I don’t know. Any kind of growth will inevitably bring growing pains and new problems. How do you correct the current disadvantages while allowing for the discomfort of growth that will eventually lead to betterment? That has always been the question. Of course, there will always be those who are against anything new and who sware by the old ways even as the old ways become outdated and strangle any hope of new life. That is a problem that isn’t exclusive to West Virginia, I see it here in Florida as well. And again, there are better people than I to tackle those issues. I’m just an observer.

I enjoy the energy and diversity of Florida. I love the tradition and immense pride of being from West Virginia, my home. I hope to return home at some point. In the meantime, I watch from afar and wish her the best. I hope to see her develop and rejuvenate, so that her beauty and glory are undeniable to all who see her. While others may never feel in their heart what I feel for my home state, I hope they appreciate her strengths and her people and come to think of her as a friend they might like to visit. I hope the young people truly understand their deep roots and come back often, or maybe never have to leave at all.