Wednesday, March 18, 2009

A Piece Of My Heart

Today I found myself unexpectedly (and very briefly, sorry NC friends!) in Chapel Hill.

It is one of those dreamy days of a Carolina spring that comes after too many days of grey and rain. The sky is exactly the color it should always be (ahem, I'll let you guess what kind of blue), the breeze is kissing everyone's cheeks and the sun has finally made its long awaited appearance.

I drove up Franklin Street and through the heart of UNC's campus. I saw everything I wanted to. The frat guys and the sorority girls walking back to their houses from class, the elementary school field trip outside of Morehead Planetarium, the upper quad dotted with folks basking in this delightful day.

I drove past Top Of The Hill, the bar in which I watched my boys in blue take their rightful place as NCAA basketball champs back in 2005.
See that balcony? I peered down from there to watch Franklin Street flood with Carolina fans who came to celebrate. And I have big plans to be there again should my Tarheels advance that far this year.

I wound my way around campus and passed The Carolina Inn. Jason and I spent our wedding night there, a surprise he worked on for months in advance knowing how much it would mean to me.

I passed the Bell Tower and the Student Union, both of them landmarks to four of the best years of my life.

I adore Chapel Hill. It is quaint and quirky and beautiful. I'm not meant to live there now and this is okay. That town was mine for a season and the university will always have a firm claim to my heart.

Hark the sound of Tar Heel voices
Ringing clear and True
Singing Carolina's praises
Shouting N.C.U.

Hail to the brightest star of all
Clear its radiance shine
Carolina priceless gem,
Receive all praises thine.

5 comments:

  1. hmmmm. I have a few thoughts but I don't know if I am on the right track. You can respond back with a wink and nod if I am. :)

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  2. So glad you enjoyed our beautiful day, too! Welcome home, even if briefly....

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  3. *AHEM* And where, My Leslie Ruth, is a picture of the MOST AWESOME residence hall ever? That had the most awesome RA Staff and Area Director EVER.
    Just kidding! I know you had a great stroll down memory lane. It was the perfect day for it!

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  4. I feel the exact same way about Athens and UGA. College towns are the greatest! :-)

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  5. I work at a fabulous university, but this just makes me smile with glee! Nothing like CH in the springtime.

    By the way, I will be in your neck of the woods April 26-28. As in, RIGHT there. Hmmmm... Let's get together (yeah, yeah, yeah)...

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