Today I took the same walk to work that I have been taking
for the past 6 months. Every day I pass
a golden lab in a loading dock (with his owner of course) and today I noticed
two things about him that I have never noticed before. The first revelation was that there is not
just one golden lab, there are two of them! As if that was not shocking new
information enough, there was another; the aforementioned golden labs, albeit
sweet and cuddly, are in fact bomb sniffing dogs ‘working’ at the loading dock.
While this probably should have made me a little uneasy, as
my office is across the street, it made me extremely proud. I am a New Yorker, through and through. My city has had some travesties and taken
some hits over the years, but we have character, charisma, spunk, and a drive
that says ‘no matter how hard you hit us, we will get up, dust ourselves off
and hit harder.’ I know as a nation we have completely changed our demeanor and
outlook in a post-terrorism world, but it gives me pride to be part of a city
that is so strong and [in a sense] badass. We do not let anything stop our city; because, as we all know, everything changes in a New York Minute.
When I say I have pride for my city, I do not mean I am just
happy to live here. What I mean is, I
tell people I am American when they ask my nationality and I fight with people
from other states about what football team is the best. It doesn’t matter where I go in my life, I
will always be a New Yorker. A lot of personal characteristics I posses, that I
think are rather common sense, are 99% of my upbringing but also because of my
surroundings. New Yorkers are tough; we
are resilient, quick on our feet, and always willing to fight for what is ours
and what is right. I do
not think I would be the same person I am today if I was raised in any other city this Great Nation has to offer. Being 100% honest, I
do not think my parent’s would be the same people either. As New Yorkers we are not like other states,
we are very fast paced and impatient in life, as a whole. But being part of the 5 boroughs really puts
us in a league of our own. We are
impatient and driven to the max; and that is something that I love about myself
and my fellow compatriots. I bleed red, white
and blue, and I bleed this city. Passing
the Freedom Towers every day on my commute home, and the Brooklyn Bridge, makes
me really happy, gives me a sense of belonging, and reminds me that if we can
get through the monstrosity of 2001 [and B. Spears can get through 2009] I can
handle anything life throws at me.
We are America Strong, and I, am a proud New Yorker.
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