Being born and raised, and still living on, Long Island, I grew up lucky enough to be able to go into New York City pretty much whenever I wanted to. When I was little it was a once in a blue moon thing, and it never really felt any different to me than it did to be home, but in recent years all that changed.

About two years ago I had an epiphany. I'm not exactly sure what brought it on, or even why I was in New York City that day, but I remember the feelings I had as if it happened yesterday. As I stepped off the LIRR in Penn Station, everything felt different. I walked upstairs and then over to the 7th Avenue exit, up the stairs to the street level, and as I stepped onto the sidewalk I was overtaken with how special this city is and how beautiful it is. I walked down the street feeling so happy to be in such an amazing city, and the feelings have only grown stronger since then. That was the day I fell in love with New York City, and it's a day I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Flash forward to 2016 and as of this month I've been in New York City for something at least once a month for the past year. Whenever I'm walking the streets of New York City , I just feel so incredibly happy to be in my favorite place, and so blessed to have been able to have somewhere so wonderful to fall in love with.

There are so many things that make being in love with New York City so special. For one thing, being able to navigate "the grid", most of the time with minimal directional help from google maps, makes me feel so proud to be a New Yorker every time I step out of Penn Station. With so many people on the streets asking for directions it's comforting to know that I know which way to go. And let's not forget the subway system. Being able to navigate the subways, honestly makes me feel pretty empowered. Like, "hey look what I can do!"

But it's not just directional things that make me feel all this love for New York City, there are other things too. The way it looks at night, with everything lit up, especially in Times Square and on Broadway, is a sight beautiful enough to make anyone feel special. And the way it's always full of life, with people at every turn, making you feel like you're not alone, even if you're physically by yourself. I don't know how I got lucky enough to fall in love with such a special place, but it's something I'll never take for granted. New York City, you have my heart.