It was the air you breathed that fanned the flame

“You are daring to imagine that you could have a different life.” –Birdie to Kathleen, You’ve Got Mail

Travel expands your view of the world, sometimes showing you a different way of life, and sometimes showing you that it could be your own. After four days in New York City, shared with people I love, I remember that Birmingham isn’t the only city where life happens. It’s even possible that it’s not the only city for me.

I realize how counter-intuitive that sounds. New York is the stuff of dreams, literature and screens, big and small. Birmingham is typically not. But I’ve found my home and dreams in Alabama, with a career that satisfies me, a small group of friends I love and volunteer work I’m passionate about.

For years, New York has been the thing I don’t want. It’s fast-paced and high pressure–traits I’ve captured just fine on my own, thanks, without a city to reinforce them. But seeing the city with my sisters and my friends Josh and Dan reminded me that so much contentment comes from being around people who care about and challenge you.

I may be a little more susceptible to that right now, because I have had trouble connecting with a lot of people around me lately. That disconnect seems to come and go with different seasons of life. The truth is, I love Birmingham and am committed to it for the foreseeable future.

But there are other possibilities out there. And maybe it’s healthy for me to see that.

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