Learning to Love: NEW YORK

I never thought I’d like New York City. I’ve always wanted to, but let’s look at the facts: I’m quiet, reserved, introverted. Both large crowds and thoughts of having to interact with huge volumes of people tend to stress me out. Traveling and being far away from home usually exhaust me. Am I sounding like a square yet? Possibly your grandmother? Yes, that’s me!

Despite my reservations, and to the great surprise of my mother, I fell in love. It’s strange that I can say that about so many vastly different people, places, and things, but for me it’s all the same. I fell in love with New York in the way that I do frequently with movies or books or ideas. I felt that yes feeling in my heart, the one on which I often rely in order to make decisions. That feeling helped me choose what college I wanted to go to. It helps me decide who I want to spend time with (or not). It decides when I actually like something and when I say I like it just to fit in with everyone else. It has helped me choose my path through life thus far, and I trust it to keep doing its job. Too corny? Yeah, probably, but I’m a cheesy person. Slightly irrelevant New York themed example: one of the main reasons I wanted to make it to the top of the Empire State Building is because two of my favorite movies happen to be An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle. Sappy music? Bring it on. Horribly unrealistic love story? I’m there, baby. I’m rambling now, and I apologize for that, but I needed to post something about my New York adventure before I forgot all that I wanted to say.

So here goes. The following is probably the best way to describe how I’m feeling right now: Five days ago I had never been further east than Reno, Nevada. Five days ago I hadn’t been on an airplane in years; hadn’t ever been in a taxi or taken the subway. Five days ago I had fewer blisters on my feet and fewer dreams in my head. I was scared of where my future was going, of how much I was allowing myself to limit my options before they even left my own head, of how I would ever be able to make my grandiose daydreams become reality. Five days ago there was one less thing on my long list of things with which I am, to borrow an infamous phrase from Twilight, irrevocably in love. I’m grateful for those five days, despite the fact that they left me so exhausted I was almost in tears.

I made a brand new start of it in ol’ New York, New York, and I’ve got nothing to do today but smile. [Is it blasphemy to mash together lyrics from Sinatra and Simon and Garfunkel? Probably.]