My heart belongs to a city thousands of miles away from me. It was a place that I called home for only a few days, but a place that made me feel like I truly belonged for the first time. There was a beautiful sense of self-appreciation that washed over me during my time here. A sense of self-appreciation that I had been longing years for, a sense of appreciation that my soul needed.

I always wondered what life would be like if my soul was finally in its home, the place it was meant to be. The thought scares me. Would the magical-ness drift away after a few months, years? Would it stay forever? The anxiety born inside me fears that it would drift away after a few weeks, leaving behind only a broken girl who left everything she knew behind to go to a place she foolishly believed was her home. My heart is begging my mind to squash that thought; its constant desire to return to this place proves the importance of it all.

I fit in there. My soul was fed with the immense culture that surrounded me, the beautiful people who were living their daily lives. Self-doubt and worry evaporated. I was caught up in the magnificent scenery that could only have been created by the Lord above. The world seemed a little bit clearer, not so frightening. The complex society seemed simpler, less threatening. My heart was full of a desire to learn and understand. Learn about the histories and stories each person holds deep in their hearts and appreciate the uniqueness of them.

This desire is constantly forgotten in daily life where I am now. My mind is full of unnecessary stresses, focusing on all the wrong aspects of life and exhibiting the negativity society has deeply driven into our brains. The self-doubt has returned, constantly questioning the decisions made and opinions held. Worry constricts my soul and prevents the personal growth I so deeply long for. My heart continues to search for the sense of belonging it once felt in that place so far from me now.

The idea of falling in love with a city seems improbable until experienced. To fall in love with a culture, a sense of belonging, a sense of self is an undeniably life-changing event. It is a blessing and a curse to fall in love with something, for there is always the possibility of hurt. However, a city never leaves. A city plants a seed in your heart that will fester and grow until reunion. A reunion that will be most glorious, full of that overwhelming sense of self-appreciation. A reunion that will grant my soul the sense of belonging it has longed for since the day I first arrived. A reunion that will fill my heart with the happiness it deserves.

My heart longs for the place it calls home.