A Little Piece of Home

“Lebanon, Indiana!”

That’s where I call home.

Over the past few months, the Indiana FFA State Officer Team has had the gift of being on the road, going all over the state. Somewhere during almost every visit, I get asked the same question:

“Where are you from?”

I always answer the same way: “I call Lebanon, Indiana home.”

Sometimes I try to find a map and point it out. Other times, I use my hand to show where it is in the state. If neither of those work, I simply do my best to explain it. “It’s between Lafayette and Indianapolis!

The more I answer that question, the more I’ve started to think about it. My hometown is so much more than just a place on a map.

When I think about Lebanon, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t a location. It’s the people.

It’s the teachers and school staff who pour so much into their students.

It’s the friends who push you to take a leap of faith, even when it feels scary.

It’s the family who is always willing to answer a FaceTime call or listen to your stories or crazy ideas.

Between all the miles and all the new places, I’ve started to realize that I never actually left home. I’ve been carrying it with me. You never truly leave home because you carry it with you in who you are and how you love others.

Even when Lebanon is hundreds of miles away, I still find pieces of it in the way I connect with people, and the way I show up each day. I think about the people who poured so much into me to help me become the person I am today.

At some point, all of us will step away from what’s familiar, whether that’s for college, a job, a vacation, or something new.

That step can feel exciting, but it can also feel uncertain. It’s easy to focus on what’s different instead of what still feels like home. It’s up to us to make that choice and find a sense of home in the communities and people around us.

I’ve realized I don’t leave home when I put miles on the odometer. I just make room for more of it. 

In every classroom I’ve visited this year, you’ve made me feel at home through the way you welcomed me into your communities.  You’ve taught me that home isn’t a place, but the people. It’s something you carry with you, like a little piece of home in your pocket, shown in the way you love others because of your roots.

No matter where this blue jacket takes me next, I know one thing for certain: I’ll always carry a little piece of Lebanon, Indiana with me.

With a piece of home in my pocket,

Lauren Argotte

Indiana FFA State Secretary