I am from the trips to my grandparents
With loads of mountains and riding bikes
Learning how to fly fish and catching trout
To getting my favorite breakfast and feeling the icy salt water from my grandparent’s pool at the motel they owned flow through my body

I am from hearing the annoying advice that my brothers give me
and the lessons that I get taught
Driving through bumpy roads in life
and learning from the trails I have passed
By getting reminded from parents as simple as “thank you” and “please”

I am from cookouts at my aunt and uncle’s 
With pork and spaghetti with meatballs that taste like heaven
The trampoline where I would act like a wrestler with my younger cousin and older brother
and throwing the ball like I was a pitcher in the MLB
And then the adults yelling at us when it gets dark to get desert

I am from the plane rides to Hawaii
Seeing the mountains and tiny roads with cars moving by like a snail
The movies I download for the 8 hours flight
and the coloring books my mom would bring to calm herself
To landing on the ground and getting greeted by the flower necklaces
Then the long wait for the rental car that my dad is trying to get

I am from the basketball courts of Power to Play
The practices that would only be an hour long
and the scrimmage that we would always do against the younger Noco Elite team
From trying new moves on my friends and my range beyond the 3 point line
With games that were easy and some more difficult
and the sweat dripping down my face while the seconds count down

I am from the schools I have been to
With new friends and some great friends
They have made me laugh and giggle
Some teachers bad and some are good 
I always learn in some way with my hardest effort
From smelling the popcorn from the teacher’s lounge every single friday
School will always be a little fun for me

I am from the dinners with my whole family
Talking about our days and sharing ideas 
From not talking because of bad days and brothers fighting like they always do
This is where we learn about each other and fight our conflicts
This is where I am from