Who says you can’t go home?

By Catherine Amos

Published: June 25, 2008

A trip to my hometown of Charlotte, N.C. last weekend got me thinking: Who says you can’t go home?

True, things will never be the same in Charlotte as they were when I ruled the town. It will never be the same city to me, but that’s the beauty of growing up and moving on. Things change, and so have I.

But despite adjustments in my life and at home, things fall perfectly into place whenever I return to the Queen City.

I made the five-plus hour trek to the better Carolina in honor of my brother and his fiancée, who will wed in November. My best friend’s family threw them a party and I thought I’d make the effort and celebrate with them.

Upon arriving in Charlotte, I headed to the gift shop where my mom works. Though the inventory changes, the friendly faces behind the counter rarely do. I updated my mom’s coworker on my life and bid farewell, eager to sink into the couch at home.

I called my best friend who I hadn’t seen in a few months; she was working in Charlotte after her first year of law school. We got our nails done, hardly noticing the time apart and quick to update each other on school, work — and of course — boys.

Caroline and I have been a pair practically since birth. Our moms met while pushing us in strollers down our street, and the four of us have been inseparable ever since. When we were younger, we got a kick out of pretending we were sisters. But there was no need to pretend.

I may not have a biological sister, but the bond I have with Caroline is as close as any DNA match. We’ve fought like sisters and made up like sisters. We drive each other crazy, but love each other even more. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been apart; we always pick up right where we left off.

Everyone knew us as a pair and often mixed up our names. For a long time, we sported the same haircut. And we always went to the same school, so going away for college was tough. But we’re better friends because of it. We’ve helped each other through some tough times and we have spent hours on the phone laughing until it hurt.

One of our favorite games was to flip through the yearbook and find the worst pictures, cackling at the unfortunate victims. Sure, it’s silly, but that’s what best friends are for. They’re the ones you can have the most fun with while doing absolutely nothing.

It’s friends like Caroline that draw me back home every time. I can’t say whether I’d ever move back to Charlotte, but visiting is always a pleasure because of the lifelong connections I made growing up.

Catherine Amos is and will always be a Charlottean at heart. She can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .