Essay on Place

The influence that the environment has on our development as individuals is a great contributing factor to the type of people that we become. What we grow up appreciating in our environments allows us to appreciate all different types of beauty in nature. We can use our past experiences with nature to relate to new situations and surroundings. By doing so, we don’t have to limit our success to only one specific environment that we thrive best in. I spent the majority of my childhood in a small town in Northern Illinois. With the time I spent in Hawthorn Woods, IL, I learned to love every aspect of my hometown. No tree, lake, or hill went unnoticed in my eyes, and I was always eager to discover new aspects of beauty around the town. What makes my hometown stand out the most is its unique location. It’s about 30 minutes away from downtown Chicago, but still far enough away to keep the small, Midwest town feeling. I was blessed enough to be exposed to an urban environment while still living in an environment that wasn’t completely developed. I feel that this double exposure lets me appreciate man-made creations along with the raw beauty of nature equally. I owe being able to appreciate both of these aspects of nature to my hometown of Hawthorn Woods, IL.