Safety of a childhood treehouse

Sometimes, when I am laying in bed I think about all of my adventures of the day.
Today, as I drove to Jackson from Rexburg I had the privilege of passing through Teton Valley. As I turned the corner right before Tetonia the reminiscing began. A date that I had gone on and had a blast ended at a restaurant on the left hand side of the worn black road. The school zone approached and I tapped my breaks to slow down.  I saw the church that we always met at for stake activities. I then passed the turn off that I used to take to go to watch my friends gallop on horses and hold on for dear life on a big angry bull. The rodeo was always something that made me smile.
A mile or two went by and cruise control was set to 62 MPH. Colors of the changing leaves went past me like a river of paint. Oranges and reds with the few greens and browns. The air was smokey and I could hardly see the outline of the beautiful mountains surrounding me. I passed by where one of my sweet friends is buried and I sped past the multicolored cows and grass eating horses. As I passed houses of friends and barns of acquaintances my teen years memories began to fill my head. I pulled into Driggs and had a story for every block. Lunch breaks with specific friends, early morning flag set up for remembrance of fallen soldiers, dances, break-ups, funerals, farmers markets, construction, pranks, and growth. I could spend hours telling someone the moments of sadness or joy I felt everywhere in the small town. Reminisce on friends made and love grown. My soul is filled with happiness when I drive through the valley. It feels safe. Like the childhood tree house or being in the arms of someone you love. This town, my home will continue to warm my chest every time I drive through. Sometimes, I roll down the windows and soak in the peaceful feeling and smell the fresh air.  Many souls touched my heart in this town. Several people changed me. For the good, and the bad. My first true love experience was in this place. Many of my greatest friends are from here, and my love for life really began to develop in this place I call "home". It has stolen my heart, I may never get to live there again, but I will always know that is where Kayla became Kayla. That town will always have a piece of my heart, and hopefully my spirit of happiness can be felt by those who are still located there.