One of the uncomfortable realities of flying out of JFK is your flight is likely to be delayed. I spent a ton of money taking a cab to the airport to make sure I wouldn’t be late for my 4pm flight. It turns out the flight is inexorably delayed, taking off perhaps three hours later. At least it gives me ten minutes to collect my thoughts.
New York was a life raft in a sea of sharks. I feel like I can finally remember the value and breadth of life. It seems a bit much, but the fact is this city is my muse. I came from here and I am connected to this place in the fundamental fashion a child is connected to a mother or a people to a planet. I will never feel that way about Arizona, despite my love and dedication to the land. I will always be a New Yorker first, and I believe that mentality will reward me well in my AZ dealings. Even when I run for office, the idea of NYC and that upbringing will influence the way in which I attempt to direct the campaign and eventually the city.
Big plans are what NYC is about and perhaps a bit of what I lacked. It is important in life to be a little uncomfortable. You need to have goals that are not ‘just out of reach’ but so close to you yet so far away that they are like the heat from the sun that powers you to build a ship and go out there and catch you a sunburst. I grew up in Harlem in a nice but relatively poor area to the 81st and madison wealth that defined my elementary school. I felt that sun everyday and built me a ship that took me all the way to college, a bit closer to the goal of having everything I wanted. Of course, what we want changes as we shuffle through life. What I want now isn’t what I wanted even 4 years ago. I am no rush to lead my college. I want to be a best selling author first. I want to travel and see things that will inspire me to be better and do more and live this one life that I have to the fullest.
It is hard to come upon those feelings in the suburbs.