As a child I was only aware of two states–Indiana and Michigan.

Yes, obviously I knew their were 50 states, and I could name them with their capitals for the elementary school memory tests, but in my world there was only two.

I was born and raised in Indiana. My parents still live on property originally homesteaded by my mom’s relatives around 1880. My dad is a Michigan native. Every summer, since before I was born, we’d make the trip to Charlevoix to see my relatives and swim in crystal clear Lake Michigan. In my world at the time, I didn’t need to go anywhere else.

Now my thoughts have shifted and I have a hankering to go see much more of the country. I want to see Colorado mountains, and the east coast trees in the fall. I want to see South Dakota bison and Californian giant sequoias.

I want to visit and take in what God has created in this beautiful world, seeing the wonder in nature designed by the ultimate artist.

But Indiana will always be my home and preferred place to live. Now and forever.