Anxieties of Rural Louisiana

Mike voices his dread of moving from the vibrant city life of Portland and Columbus to the middle of Louisiana...

So, in a couple of weeks, I’m making a big move to Louisiana—and I’m not talking about the "cool" parts. I’m moving to what feels like the middle of nowhere: Pineville. To be a little less specific but maybe more "culturally relevant," let’s say Alexandria, mostly because it actually has an airport that I can use to get the heck out of Pineville if I need to!

I’ve been thinking about this move in the context of my hometown, Steubenville, Ohio. I’m a proud alum of Steubenville, even if people have a lot of uneducated opinions about it. It’s funny because Pineville is actually about the same size as Steubenville. But going south to the bayou, I have to wonder—if you take a town the size of Steubenville and paste it into the middle of Louisiana, is it going to be any more progressive or gay-friendly? Honestly, I have no clue, and I have my doubts.

Despite the anxieties, I’m actually happy about it. Look, I’m 35 years old. For those who have known me a long time, I was always that guy chasing the next big, shiny city over the hill. That’s an easy mindset to fall into when you grow up in a place like Steubenville. But as much as I’ve traveled and as jaded as I’ve become, Steubenville still holds a special place in my heart.

I’ve realized that life is about more than just chasing the biggest, brightest skyline. Sometimes you just have to embrace the next adventure, even if it leads you to a small town in the middle of Louisiana.