I read an article about West Virginia today. It was upsetting because unfortunately I could relate. It said that West Virginia has had the biggest drop in population of all states. According to the article much of this is due to a struggling economy, what some consider to be a lack of things to do, and a government that can’t seem to address these issues effectively. While I was not born in West Virginia, I moved there as a very young child and grew up there. I lived there for over thirty years before moving away later in life. My reasons had nothing to do with the ones in the article though. I moved away to Florida to get married and to start a new life with my new family. I carried my love of West Virginia with me, and I still have that love of my home state today.

There is truth in the article, I don’t deny that. The struggling economy is real due to a multitude of reasons. The people of West Virginia know hardship. Just about everyone is either affected by it personally or knows someone who is. Over the years there has been a decline in jobs. The education system scrapes by with little funds. Families try to stay afloat while cuts are made all around them. It’s hard to see these things happening in such a special place. For all the difficulty, there is also an infinite amount of beauty. Rolling hills, green trees, mountain streams… each season brings a new and gorgeous view of the mountain state. Fall brings some of the most vivid colors you’ve ever seen. Winter softly blankets the hills with fresh white newness. Spring and summer bring blooms and greenery that rival any the natural beauty any where else. As for there being nothing to do, I suppose that depends on what you like to do. West Virginia offers skiing, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. It’s an outdoorsy person’s dream. There are small towns to visit where history tells so many stories. West Virginia is full of native artists who produce written works, music, art, and food that you won’t find any where else because it flows from the heart of the state and her people. The artists express her strength, natural beauty, harshness, and perseverence.

As I said, I did not plan to leave nor did I leave becasue I was looking for something more or something new. I left to facilitate a marriage. After having been gone for almost 17 years though, I see things a little differently. I see the differences between my home and other places. These differences are what makes West Virginia special though; it’s a shame that they should somehow hinder growth as well. West Virginia is an enclave surrounded by bigger cities. It has managed to hold on to so much of what makes it unique, so much of it’s history. These are good things. There has to be room for growth alongside this though, there has to be both. Internet and cell service has to be available to more people. Better pay for teachers has to be on the table to keep educators there and to lure more of them in. Children need to grow up with a knowledge and love of their home, but they should never have to sacrifice their education in order to stay. There have to be jobs for them when they are grown. As I’ve said in previous posts, I don’t pretend to know how to accomplish these things. I’m not saying anything new here either.

I have lived in Florida for almost 17 years. I see growth, I see energy, I see transformation all around me on a daily basis. While it is exciting, something is always lost in growth spurts. There are growing pains. While I wish all the best things for West Virginia, I would also hate to see her lose herself in a flurry of expansion. The bad side is that there seems to be a disconnect some where in all the activity, the worst of which is a disconnect of the people. The people of West Virginia are as a whole warm and kind and generous. They are survivors. They are caring and helpful and welcoming. I can’t drive up the road to my mom’s house without someone waving at me as I go by, and I can barely go any place without seeing someone that I know or that knows my family. There is comfort in that closeness and inclusivity. Growth pushes people outward, it creates pockets of people spread out and separated. That is okay if you’re looking to blend in and hide out. But I can’t help but feel that something is lost when you lose a sense of community. I hope that West Virginia never loses that.

I hope my home state finds a way to provide for all her people and grow in the ways that are necessary to propel the state and the people into the future, in all her strength and glory. And I hope that West Virginia never loses it’s identity in the process. It’s why I am so proud to be from there. It’s what I love and associate myself with most closely. It’s why West Virginia will always be my home.