Diet Grape Faygo Pop

Dear Michigan,

I have been living in Los Angeles, California, for almost seven months now, but I’m still driving around with your blue and green “Spectacular Peninsula” license plate attached to the bumper of my car. I’m quite sure that this isn’t legal, and there’s laziness in part to blame for the fact that I haven’t yet gotten around to having it updated. However, I think you should know that by holding onto both my Michigan plate and driver’s license, I find a strange comfort in knowing that a little piece of my home state is with me, always.

When I was in high school, there was nothing I wanted more than to leave your chilly shores. Your winter mornings froze my car doors shut and during post February blizzards, the snow plow truck often forgot our street. I would shake my ice scraper at the sky and bang my mittened hands on the steering wheel, cursing your name for making me late for first hour, yet again. I thought I hated you, Michigan, you and your nine month winters.

Much later, I discovered that I loved you. In fact, it took packing up, leaving the state and living elsewhere to make me realize that I am actually quite proud of where I come from. When waitresses, bank tellers, shop keepers and new acquaintances here smile and make mention of my nasally Midwest accent, I boldly, yet politely correct them. “I’m from Michigan, not Minnesota.”

I already miss the firey autumn leaves that live on your trees, the familiar smell of my childhood home, Traverse City Cherry flavored Biggby Coffee, my favorite sushi restaurant in Rochester Hills, Diet Grape Faygo pop (not soda–I will never call the stuff soda) and thrift store shopping with my friends in Royal Oak. But, I’ve made some new friends, too. So far, they’re named coconut water, hiking through Griffith Park and some of the best Thai food I’ve ever had. They’re not any kind of replacement, though, just new characters in the next chapter of my life.

I believe in Detroit and I believe in you, Michigan. While the city’s governing body has made the last several years especially dark, the community is now are more aware of what’s happening, they’re angry and they demand that conditions improve. The people will take their city back and things will soon get better.  I have the highest hopes for Detroit and think that the time is now, more than ever, for great change.

I’ll certainly visit, someday soon, and maybe, later on, I’ll even come back and stay awhile.

Hang in there, Michigan. I love you and miss you,

Your daughter,

-CMF