After 19 years of living with you, I finally leave you. I am truly sorry to depart as you have helped me grow so much with your excellence. Many people seem to leave you with a feeling of victory for “making it out,” whereas I leave with sorrow as if I lost a dear friend.
I am embarrassed to admit that for much of our time spent together, I carried a sense of shame for our acquaintance. A transition from NYC, a place by many to be considered the best of the best, to you was more of a psychological burden than a real one. Even as an 8-year-old boy who spent much time within my own personal universe, I understood that if you’re from New York, you better be proud of it like it’s the ultimate privilege. The brainwashing was so bad that I refused to get a haircut with you for years. I would wait to go back to NYC to do so for I believed you lacked the talent. It also doesn’t help when many of the residents within you seem to feel the same. Not to mention that many lists come out that rank you as one of the most impoverished places in the country by people who I am willing to bet have never even spent time with you. Despite what anyone thinks of you, just know that you are forever a sacred place in my heart.
My love for you truly developed when I got to know a piece of the real you. I spent most of my youth across the bridge in the West among many of the people who were too scared to even cross the bridge back. I started spending serious time with your heart and soul when I got a job at the IMAX and started studying at RACC. I am also ashamed to admit that as a Wyomissing student, I thought RACC was for the intelligently ungifted, and upon studying there, I was made a fool by all the brilliance that surrounded me. My coworkers from the High also intensely impressed me with their sharpness and talent. Between those two environments, I dramatically blossomed into a version of myself that I actually respected and I will forever be grateful to you for that blessing.
There is a deep and rich spirit in you that is subtle and I fear many people do not sense. I got in touch with that sense whenever I would walk across the bridge from the West to East. It is hard to explain, but whenever I crossed that bridge on my way to work or class, a huge wave of euphoria would flood my being. It is absolutely one of the best feelings I have ever felt but a mysterious one for sure. On much meditation, I recognized the bridge was a connection towards environments that truly nurtured my growth, and I think the euphoria was you telling me I was on the right path.
You’re not perfect, but I thank you for fueling my growth over the years. I know there are still many within that do not appreciate you, but maybe it’s because they haven’t gotten in touch with the rich spirit I was fortunate enough to experience. I am confident that some others feel the same way. There have been so many people that you have birthed that are insanely successful in a myriad of ways. I am sure they were blessed with your spirit as well. I love you Reading and I am proud to say that I’m a kid from you.
PS: Thank you for also producing the love of my life.
Cosmic Latte 