Do you sometimes gaze out of your bedroom window at the world in front of you and think to yourself, 'Why the f**k do I live here?'
You probably would if you lived in Coventry.
Born and raised, that's me, and although I was born and raised in Coventry, I wasn't exactly raised by Coventry. Yes, it will always be "home", and yes, it will always hold a chunk of my heart (be it an untidy and awkward place), but it will always be my home. My closest friends and family are here, my childhood memories are here, and yet I can't shake the feeling that all those experiences could have happened anywhere.
It's difficult when you live in a place that has lost its identity and has been replaced by meaningless architecture, polluted souls and weary faces. I want to wake up, look out the window, and feel a spark—a sense of excitement, inspiration, or at least curiosity about the day ahead. I want to feel inspired, motivated and creative. Instead, all I see is a blur of stagnant traffic and bland buildings, a predictable scene that drains me before the day even begins. I want to feel a purpose, a drive to embrace what’s next, but here I just feel stifled, longing to escape.
When I look out my window now, I see beyond Coventry. I see the sunrise breaking through the clouds, a reminder that there’s more to life out there—that while Coventry may be my home, I don’t have to be bound by it, and I can check out any time.
Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey - Tad Williams
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