FROM New York, OF Houston
I’ve been noodling with an idea for a while. I’m a NYC transplant to Houston who has, for years, felt straddled between two worlds.
I firmly believe it’s really difficult for a born-and-raised New Yorker to live anywhere else. There is an inexplicable energy and synergy to my hometown that I’ve found in very few places. Similarly, I know far too many people that have moved to New York from elsewhere, that simply couldn’t cut it. It’s too fast, too loud, too snarky, too expensive, too [insert reason here].
Having moved south of the Mason-Dixon, I have found in my new home a wholly different energy. One that — now that I’ve been here for the better part of a decade — is starting to finally gel. And like many new Houstonians, I really feel that 2017 was the year for that to “click.”
If nothing else, we had Harvey. Though already ~10 weeks past the storm, Houston is still dealing with the aftermath. On the contrary, in response to the disaster, I saw one of the most compelling showings of resiliency and community I’ve ever seen since 9/11. To boot, as of last night, we also have a World Series championship team. Let me repeat — the Houston Astros are World Series champions.
All this is to say that I feel a great sense of fortune and pride being from New York, but at the same time, of Houston. We may never have great bagels or pizza down here, and our public transport may never measure up. However, I like that people look me in the eye and say hello. I love our wildcat, can-do-anything spirit. Hell, our grand opera company got flooded out and built a theater inside our convention center. Can your city do that?
For all my non-Houston friends — there’s a hokey saying down here that goes something like “I’m not from Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.” Well, y’all should come visit and check it out and feel what it’s like to be #HoustonStrong.
Rant, over.
