I Love You, NYC

Living in a small town like Helena I heard it all, “Oh I’m not a city person,” or “I could never live in a place so crowded, where no one knows anybody,” and especially “I just don’t think I would feel safe.” I understand where everyone was coming from, to many people New York City is overwhelming, even terrifying; the buildings, the taxis, the nonstop rush of people, and let’s not forget the subway system. It’s a lot. However, it has always been one of the most magical places in the world for me. I grew up going into the city, watching plays, eating delicious foods, wandering seaports, and craning my neck all the way back trying to see the tips of skyscrapers from my spot on the ground. My parents took us as often as they could, showing us its beauty while teaching us how vigilant you needed to be of your surroundings, because when people start crossing the street and you accidentally get pushed and turned around, you need to learn how to right yourself again. So much of experiencing the city, as a child, as a college student that used to skip class and go there alone to explore without anyone knowing, as an adult that enjoyed their daily commute to and from culinary school, and now as an someone that returns as often as I can to reacquaint myself with everything I love about it, it all taught me more than any other place in this world. It’s taught me humility when I’ve been lost, pride when I first successfully rode the subway, compassion on those brutally cold days for every homeless person I saw, and of course wonder and excitement whenever I turned a corner and was met with something beautiful and unexpected. New York City helped create who I am today, and the lessons I learned there have stayed with me wherever I go, reminding me that “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”