I fell in love with my city tonight.
It only took a year and a month, almost exactly. And, yes, I know it’s a Thursday night, but I think this is our song.
I moved here from one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world, and it took me a while to get sweet on it. Things moved too slow, people were a certain way, I missed the small circle of people and places that encompassed the first 22 years of my life.
Tonight, I went to my friend’s birthday in the suburbs. Rather than waiting for the bus or a ride, I opted to walk home and saw my city’s skyline looming in the distance as I drew closer and closer to it. I was only about twenty-five minutes away, but there was something beautiful about watching the lawns get smaller and the houses get closer together and the roads assert their dominance over the area. There was something about looking at that skyline and knowing where I fit into it.
I watched the throngs of people grow thicker, the homes recede into apartments and businesses, the space condense.
Lately, I’ve felt less like an outsider here and more like I fit into the fabric of this place. I’ve finally figured out its personality. And gazing at that skyline, I didn’t compare it to another I know so well. Instead, for the very first time, it stood on its own.