My Map of Indiana

    I may never live in another state or land as much as my home state of Indiana. It totals to 22 years, less than half of my present life. I have lived abroad more or less five years, nearer the West Coast over 10, and now on the East Coast more than 10. But the MidWest is my home state, the Hoosier State, the Crossroads of America.

    Hoagy Carmichael and Michael Jackson both sing of it. I dream of it, I am sure. Childhood and first impressions, subconscious and prevalent memories of yore. 

    In my house I have a bathroom with a map of Indiana by the sink. I enjoy gazing at the map of Indiana, with southern Indiana close to my eye level. I like looking at the towns, the parks, the roads, the lakes and memorials.

    It is a big detailed map, one of the best I have seen. It shows my home county, and neighboring counties where I have spent hours or days and nights, with family, friends, Scouts, and contractors.

    

    I dream about some of the places I have been, and others where I will never go. Maybe, just maybe, like Marengo Cave with my youngest daughter last April. What county? 

    Many counties of Indiana, of the 92 I have never been to. And likely never will.

    In fifth grade a couple came to my class at Elm Heights with Mrs. Daniels, a Bloomington native, a tremendous teacher; they showed a film strip of all the county courthouses in all the ninety-two counties of Indiana. Some are really small, and forgotten, and out of the away. Perhaps that is the closest that I will ever get to be in some of those isolated rural places.

    But I got my map. And it comes to me when I look to her.

    I can look at it backwards and forwards, up and down, through mists of time and spells of sun, clouds, storms, and all temperatures in between.

    This past weekend in central-east Virginia I drove on a few highways, some of which I have not passed by much before. Went through Thornberg. I commented to my fellow riders that parts of the surroundings were just like southern Indiana. I saw long rows of corn fields, and I thought nostalgically of my home state.

    I'm going back to Indiana! (Michael Jackson). On the Banks of the Wabash, far away. (Hoagy). 

    I'll be back soon.

    Monroe County. Daviess County. Brown, and Greene, and on...