Dear New York City,
I am sincerely sorry but I’ve chosen another city over you.This isn’t the first time. But this time is different. You see, when I went away to Pennsylvania for college I figured I would be back to you in four years. When I studied abroad in Barcelona, I returned to you in a few months. When I left for Hawaii, I knew I had to come back to you to pack my belongings and say my “see you laters” if I was going to move. I guess, in a way, I did not really leave you those times. This time is not like those times, though. This time, I don’t have a projected end or return date. This time, I am headed to Chicago with a one-way ticket.
My new career calls. Life beckons. I am onward to new opportunities and adventures.
But please know that I will miss you. I will miss feeling as if I feel in a suburb of ~2.5 million diverse residents. I will miss your pizza. I will miss walks in [the neighborhood park]. I will miss the proximity of [the neighborhood mall]. I will miss driving (because I will not have a car in Chicago for a little while). I will miss having the ocean nearby. I will miss navigating your hectic but efficient subways (but definitely not the antics I have witnessed which are too absurd to put into this love letter). Heck, I’ll probably even miss waiting for the buses on my street. I will miss the hustle and bustle of downtown . . . and even “the City” (Manhattan). And I will really miss my family and friends. I will miss it all because it all reminds me of you. It all reminds me of home.
Brooklyn, you will always be my first home sweet home and I will always be proud to say I was born and raised within your geographical bounds. You are my first city love . . . I just need to be somewhere else. I want a city life without your city’s price. This is something I’ve always wanted to do – move to another city to pursue my career. I’m all for expanding my horizons.
That’s not to say I am not afraid, though. I am. I am afraid of missing you too much. Of feeling like I’ve traded you in and can’t get you back soon enough, if at all. Of not having the comfort of knowing my surroundings since birth. Of feeling alone and lonely – because I love you, and I love the people I leave behind who still call you home.
This choice has been a hard one but I believe I have made the right decision. Only time will tell. I just hope you’ll still love me. Oh, and don’t miss me too much – I’ll be back to visit before you know it.
Me walking the Brooklyn Bridge
Forever a Proud Brooklynite,
P.S. Readers, please bare with me as I will be pretty absent from here during my moving process!
I love this letter! Such amazing memories you have made in the city but a new exciting adventures awaits. 🙂
Good luck moving to Chicago! I am sure NYC will miss you! I don't know how I'll deal with it when I move to Florida. And I live on the Island not nearly as close!♥
Good luck with your move! Enjoy Chicago!
~Ashley @ A Cute Angle
http://acutelifestyle.blogspot.com