I didn’t grow up in Ruston.
I moved from another state to a small-town school and eventually attended ULM. For many years, I said I couldn’t see myself ending up in Ruston. So many people I went to school with slowly migrated up to Lincoln Parish for one reason or another.
Louisiana Tech was a calling for some, job opportunities, family ties, or simply living closer to town. I was stubborn about not living in “the city,” and the idea of moving to my rival college town made me feel like a traitor to the Warhawks.
But eventually, the call came for me, too. When it came time to settle down and find a good place for our kids to grow up, there really wasn’t much of a question. My husband suggested the place with the perfect mix of country living and big-town love. Suddenly, all my hesitations melted away.
Because as I’ve come to learn, I tend to build the biggest walls to guard myself from the things I want most. I had always felt a pull to this town, something tugging on my heartstrings. Now was my chance to embrace what had always been just out of reach.
From the first moment, I never felt like an outsider here. I was met with a type of hospitality you just can’t fake. From the ladies at the library who quickly learned my kids’ names to the girl at the copy store who asked about all my printing endeavors, it didn’t take long for those familiar faces to feel like family.
Less than a year into living here, I started working for the Journal, really diving into meeting all the wonderful people who call Lincoln Parish home. Suddenly, it made sense to me … what all of the Ruston pride was about. It truly was a place to be proud of.
Ruston has a charm that sneaks up on you. At first, it seemed like a busy college town, but the quiet streets lined with crepe myrtles and historic buildings carry memories of the past. I walk those streets and soak in all the care that has gone into this community, and all the passion that seeps through the dusty red bricks of downtown.
What I love most about Ruston is the way the community rallies together. From football games to natural disasters, people show up for one another. When we faced some of the most difficult challenges of our family’s life, people from this community stood by our side. There’s a strong sense of “WE” in Ruston. A win for one person is a win for us all, and a heartache for one gets shared by many.
When it all comes down to it, I realize how blessed I am to raise a family here. Not just in Ruston, but in Lincoln Parish, and in Louisiana. We may have some big names come out of this area, but it still feels like a secret corner of the world that not everyone has found out about yet.
Now I’m living my little Louisiana dream. Writing at the local coffee shops in the morning, visiting the food trucks for lunch. I go to LA Tech games (but still root for the Warhawks, too) and take walks on the Rock Island Greenway. I can’t imagine what life would be like somewhere else, where I don’t know the specials at every restaurant or the best shady spots to eat ice cream with my kids at the park. I know Ruston is changing and growing, but that just means there will be more to love.
From the sound of the railroad and the college band to the fireflies in my backyard at night and the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, I feel Ruston every day. Being part of a community like this has shown me that belonging isn’t about where you came from, it’s about where you’re meant to be. This town now has a piece of my heart, and no matter where I go, it will always feel like home.
