Day 127

Fresh Start_127: Middletown

In the waning days of 2016, I am reflecting as I do every year on how the year went. Different things cross my mind, and I reflect on what I truly wanted to happen and aspire to do in 2016. Now, I will give 2016 an abrupt and well deserved thank you for what it has meant to me in the coming days, I wanted to reflect on something that has always stayed constant in my life…

My home. My hometown of Middletown, New York has always been something I lean back on and use as a safety net. Even though I haven’t lived here my entire life, allow moving here at the age of 2 is pretty much the entirety of my life, this place will always have a special place in my heart. Famous people go on about their hometowns all the time and the love and aspiration that they have for it, and being a writer, you don’t normally here it from us. We are the people that will write the piece on a players’, singers’, or actors hometown—but never really get to express our feelings about the place that we grew up in.

Let me tell you a little back story on Middletown, New York. It is a decent size suburb in downstate New York—about an hour away from New York City. Middletown is mostly poor, lower class citizens that can in some cases not even make it over the poverty line. I always like to say “if you can’t pay rent in New York City, well, you come to Middletown.” For the most part that is true, with the amount of Black and Hispanic people that I have met in high school—who have come from the city and go back down on the weekends. Being so close to the New York City and having a good portion of the population being from NYC, many native Middletownians say we are an extension of the 5 bureau’s.

The countless memories of going to school, playing little league, making friends, getting my first job were all here. Every moment that I can relate to today, had something to do with Middletown. Whether it be a club I was in or a sport that I played, it has here and I am so thankful for that. Besides the few real friends that I have made in college, they have all come from or have been associated with Middletown. Having those memories and people back here in Middletown, make the trip home from college that much more special. Besides seeing my family and having a home cooked meal, I am just happy that I can walk out my front door and be in this town. I have an enormous amount of gratitude for the opportunities that this town has presented me with, and the friends and memories I have made because of it. No matter where I end up, Middletown will always come with me.

Middletown is the prettiest place in the world, but being from here, there is a sense of pride when someone from Middletown does well. Like any small town it usually happens in sports. Throughout the years we have had our share of incredible athletes come through the ranks of middle school and high school ball, but none good enough in recent years to make it to the pro’s. Kendrick Ray is the closest to it at the moment, playing Division I basketball at Kennesaw State. The most notable athlete that has come from Middletown is a utility baseball player by the name of Mike Aviles. Aviles has played on many teams in the Major Leagues and has his jersey framed in numerous places around town. His Kansas City Royals jersey (the team Aviles made his Major League debut with) is hung right beside his high school jersey. I personally keep a close eye on both Ray and Aviles when they play their respective sport.

That same pride that I have watching any good athlete come through the ranks, carries over to my laptop when I write every article. Middletown has a special place in every article, just because not a lot of people make it from this town. It is a very rare thing, and carrying the wait of this town to something great is a tremendous challenge, and when I succeed—it will be a tremendous honor. I love this place, and am beyond thankful to call this place home.

Sources:(espn.com)

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