My Love for Florida

While thinking about my relationship with New York, I couldn't help but think about Florida- my first true love.

Florida for me is much different than my relationship with New York. I still had a defining moment in my childhood, when I was nine, where I vividly remember thinking, "I'm going to live here someday." So in that way, it's the same.

When I moved to Florida at age 19 (barely), I had only visited twice. Both of which I loved and felt a strong pull to live there. Within a very short amount of time after moving there, it really touched my soul. It just spoke to me. Am I crazy? Does this happen to other people? Well, regardless of whether this happens to other people or not, I know what happened to me. The best way to describe it is that I just found myself there. Almost as if I had been living my whole life waiting to find it. It's where I truly grew up on my own and became my own person, and the best version of myself I could be.

I know for many people they say their missions were like this. I'm sure for some it happens regardless of location. Even though I grew up on the other side of the country, this feels more like "home" than any other place I've ever been. Still, Florida is it for me. It's not only what I love, but who I am.