River Towns

I checked my GPS. I was lost. Worse than that, I was lost in my hometown. How in the world was I getting lost in my hometown?!

It had been four months since my "big move" to California, and I was back in St. Louis — my hometown — for Christmas. I had scheduled a hair appointment during the ambiguous week between Christmas and New Year's. On my way to the appointment, all was going well until I had a sinking feeling and then the realization, that I was moving in the completely wrong direction (and had been for 45 minutes)!

St. Louis' reach is vast. Many smaller towns call St. Louis their home. The city spreads over two states. Rural towns and suburbs claim to be part of St. Louis. So that was my excuse for why I was lost in a town I had lived in (on and off) for over 28 years. As I accepted my fate of being late to my appointment, I settled into the drive and took time to actually look.

I didn't know these small towns I was driving through along the Mississippi River, surrounding Downtown St. Louis, but I knew the people who lived in them. Not by name, but by heart. The rugged ones. The consistent ones. The culture that raised me. I drove past men in work trucks, tired from a long day of physical labor but satisfied, because they gave it their best. I drove past gas stations scattered along the river bank, and I could smell their coffee: slightly burnt but good for the soul. No, I didn't know these towns, but their people, I respect.

St. Louis is not for the faint of heart, nor for artificial people. What you see is what you get. That is its beauty. If someone says they'll do something, I've often found that they'll actually do it. After living in New York City and Los Angeles (both of which I love), I've realized that this is not always the case with people. "St. Louisans" practice the art of follow-through.

Take our weather for example (we love talking about it because it can change dramatically in an hour); Our summers are HOT and humid (we're talking a lot of bad hair days), and can zap your energy during a short walk to the mailbox. But, our winters are even worse. Freezing rain, inches of snow, and bitter winds. Yet, rarely do we let that stop us. We put salt on the pavement and continue to drive to our destination, pressing on even in the harshest (icy) conditions.

St. Louis is filled with entrepreneurs and forward thinkers who aren't caught up in appearances, but in actually making a difference. The Gateway Arch, which was erected in Downtown St. Louis in 1965, symbolizes our initiative in forward thinking. The Arch celebrates St. Louis’ central role in the rapid westward expansion. The West may have already been expanded in the United States, but St. Louis' expansion and forward ideas have just begun.

Innovation and pioneering are in our blood. For example, years ago during the 1904 World's Fair — which was held in St. Louis — the typical cones for ice cream ran out. Instead of shrugging his shoulders, a forward thinker looked around and saw waffles. He took a chance by rolling the waffles up and serving ice cream in them. Years later, we now use the waffle cone all over the world. This is a lighthearted example of how we don't give up. We just invent new ways when the old ways fail.

(If you want to see a good movie about St. Louis during the 1904 World's Fair, watch "Meet Me in St. Louis" with Judy Garland)!

If you visit St. Louis, someone will probably ask you what high school you went to. I thought this was normal until I moved and realized it's not. Some people think this question is a way for people to size each other up and figure out whether or not they're from a rich neighborhood. I disagree. I think it's people trying to connect because St. Louis is really just a big small town. On flights I've connected with complete strangers over this question. We love figuring out if maybe we know your cousin or went to high school with your brother. We value connection and friendship.

I admit, like anyone writing about their hometown, I'm biased because it's my hometown. St. Louis paved the streets I learned to drive on. Hidden on the west side are the big backyards with acres of woods where I grew up running barefoot and playing make-believe while my dad barbecued and listened to the Cardinals’ baseball game. It's the city in which I went on my first date and where I jumped over fences to sneak into suburban neighborhood pools. Underneath its spring stormy skies, I was first inspired to write as a little girl. But most importantly, it's the city where I last saw my dad before he passed away and where my family still lives and grows. No matter where I am in the world, St. Louis and its surrounding river towns will always be my home and the rugged ones will always be my people.

(If you want a good laugh, click here to watch a funny Tik Tok video I made comparing Midwest/St.Louis drivers and L.A. drivers)!