This is Main Street downtown Hendersonville which is now my home, at least for the next four months.  I reminds me a lot of the town where I grew up.

I lived in Orlando for almost 18 years – or just about as long as I lived in my childhood home, without counting the four years of college that I spent about 100 miles away.  After a short time in an apartment, I moved to the Harrisburg area for 12 years.  So pretty much I put down roots and stay awhile.

But anyway, I was thinking about what makes a place feel like “home” this weekend.  I don’t recall thinking the Harrisburg area felt like “home” at all.  It was familiar and pleasant.  I had friends there, bought my first house there.  But home?  Not sure about that.

Orlando was not my first choice of a place to move to.  It was an opportunity that I took advantage of, but not necessarily a place I had my heart set on to put down roots.  It was a good move in a lot of ways and I had many good years there.

I can remember thinking how much better it was than being in PA and that was a very good thing.  Winters were pretty awesome but then I had to admit how much I started to hate the summers.  And I finally admitted how much I missed having seasons.  Not many people in FL will admit to that because it seems like we just aren’t supposed to.

So I spent a lot of years convincing myself that not liking Florida was somehow “wrong”.  People flock there on vacation and seemingly always WANT to move there.  What was wrong with me?

The whole “feels like home” thing was triggered on Friday.  I took a liquid art class in Asheville and had a lovely afternoon.

Pretty cool, huh?  I felt so inspired by the end of the class!

Normally, I feel a bit of anxiety before going to something like that where I know absolutely no one.  Not this time, not even for a minute.  Just like I meander all over Hendersonville chatting with people like it’s something I do all the time.  Nope.

There’s just something about this place.  People are down to earth and friendly.  Unpretentious.  They love where they live.  Not sure I can explain it.  But I feel like I am truly “home” again.  My anxiety level has gone way down, even with beginning the whole house building thing.  I just feel comfortable here.

And as a bonus, it is so dang beautiful here!  I have been out hiking or driving around just about every weekend.  There are waterfalls everywhere and the spring flowers are starting to bud.  It’s going to be amazing in a few weeks.

So I’m wondering why I feel so at home here after only a month.  Is it the people? The fresh air? The childhood memories?  Hard to say, but I know that doubting voice in my head has been silenced.