After living on the west coast then moving to the east coast, I took a courageous leap and landed in the Midwest, and I haven't regretted the move one bit. I love the Midwest and all it has to offer. After settling into small town USA, I began to acclimate myself to my new home town and the identifying markers of the Midwest.

I settled into my dream house on acres of land still affordable when compared to the west and east coast prices of housing. I learned quickly small town USA was full of friendly people and businesses eager to extend a small town welcome nearly extinct in big cities where ones identity can get lost amidst a sea of faces.

My first encounter with rush hour traffic was a dramatically different experience from my traffic snafus on the west and east coasts. Instead of sitting in traffic for an hour or two during rush hour, I was cruising along at 45 mph in a 70 mph lane wondering why anyone would complain of rush hour traffic at all. In fact, I have discovered the friendliness of the Midwesterners especially during rush hour traffic; Everyone is eager to let another have the right of way, and people do it with a smile and a wave. Who wouldn't want to live in a place where others demonstrate such patience and congeniality.

I have come to appreciate the broad expanse of land with natural flora, fauna, and habitat. Monarch butterflies, Bluebirds and Black-capped Chickadees have all become a part of my new found vocabulary. Summer evenings are dotted with welcoming fireflies, and the evening sky twinkles with stars of red, blue, and gold.

Winter, spring, summer, and fall each have distinctly identifying characteristics. Winter belongs to snow angels, tobogganing, hot chocolate, Christmas Parades, and snow days. Spring represents life renewed. An explosion of life emits from the earth, and it catches quickly, for the animals take their cues from this season and baby birds are born, mama does give birth to fawns, and chipmunks return from hibernation. Summer lends extended days with maximum sunshine. Our swimming pool is the gathering place for our west and east coast friends and family, and the fire-pit in the backyard has seen its fair share of campfire songs and marshmallow roasts. Then fall is ushered in slowly. Children return to school. Leaves begin to fall, and residents prepare for the colder weather ahead.

Yes, the Midwest is the life for me. I have grown to love the people and the places identifying this broad expanse of land earmarked as the middle of the United States. I have taken up residence alongside my fellow midwesterners and imagine I will live out all the days of my life in this very special and unique part of the country called the Midwest.

Learn more about this author, Jackie Curtis.
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