I own a shirt that reads, "I found my heart in New Orleans."
In a city in which I have experienced such turmoil, such frustration, such fragility,I truly found my heart. Here, amidst the brokenness of both a city and of myself, I have re-discovered love.
I have discovered love, and passion, as it relates to one of the essentials of life: food. I know now that almost nothing makes me happier than preparing food. I want to study it, to talk about it, to help people to realize that food is more than just an energy source, but it is a part of local economies, of culture, of community. Continuing to commodify it has negative effects on our health, in both a personal and corporate sense.
But more importantly, I have discovered the love of community. The people that I've found here have reminded me that we're not meant to live our lives in isolation. This community that we've built for ourselves revolves around enjoying the city together, cooking together, eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner together, exercising together, worshiping together, doing nothing together. My life here, with the community I've made here, is the one I've been wanting since graduating college.
But I'm leaving.
I'm leaving this city that still holds a piece of my heart. When I think about turning and walking away, it hurts. But there is something more out there. There is family, whom I miss more each day. There is another city that I have loved for my entire life. There is a piece of my heart, residing out there near Puget Sound. But ultimately, there is home.
I leave in a little over two weeks. I have to make it quick, like a band-aid, or I'll linger on and on. But in those two weeks we have Krewe du Boo, we have a pumpkin party, and we have Frenchmen Street. There are still more restaurants then I will be able to visit in this short amount of time. I hope to see y'all before I take my leave--you are the reasons I stayed so long, and you will always have a place to crash in Seattle.
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Now playing: We Shot The Moon - Please Shine
via FoxyTunes
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1 comment:
Wow, 2 weeks isn't very long. But your're right about not taking too long to make the transition. If you're like me, after you've made this decision everything there in NOLAland make take on a bittersweetness to it.
I think I might call you here soon, because I'd love to talk to you right now more than write.
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