Growing up, my father was often away traveling for work to provide for our family. Luckily, my mom and I occasionally got to travel with him. I've visited over half of the United States, but my favorite trip was to Asheville, North Carolina. During this trip, I spent a lot of time with my dad. We explored downtown shops, chatted with the friendly locals, visited the beautiful Looking Glass waterfall, and spent hours at the Marquee, an art gallery with paintings, vintage clothing, photographs, live music, food trucks, and skateboard derbies. The town's beauty and the kindness of its people made me want to live there. Recently, Asheville was drowned by a hurricane, which destroyed much of the town. I'm grateful I got to experience its beauty before this tragedy. The picture on the left is of a painting I regret not buying at the Marquee. On the right is a replica my little cousin painted for me, knowing I couldn't return to buy the original. When she sent me the picture, I broke down, knowing the place I wanted my future to be at was mostly gone. This experience taught me to cherish my surroundings, as the most beautiful things can disappear in an instant. I'm incredibly grateful for this painting and experience.


  

– Karlee Martin

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