They were right. The family that I had left in Spring City said I'd never come back. I didn't believe them. How could I not come back? I love Spring City! I've been spending summers there ever since I could remember. I lived there for a few months. Even with Momow and Popow gone, I never thought I could stay away from Tennessee. I imagined sharing its beauty with my kids as they grow. Teaching them how to swim in the creek that runs down the mountain, hiking the trails, and walking to Ketch a Bite for an ice cream cone.
During the first few years after Momow died, I didn't make it a priority to get back to Spring City. Her passing was still too raw. I couldn't stand the thought of driving by her home, which wasn't hers anymore. How would it look? Unkempt? Would the flowers be cared for? Would the flag be flying? What about the ferns and the spider mums on the front porch?
My mom and my aunts visited the first year after. They told me that her house looked just as I'd feared. I knew I couldn't handle seeing that.
Now, over 15 years later, I'm ready. Ready to see the home that fills so many of my happy memories. Ready to see all the changes that have come to Spring City over the past 15 years. And, ready to visit the cemetery.
It was hard to get to a place mentally and emotionally where I could make this journey. I'm ready.
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