I Love New York, but New York Only Thinks of Me as a Casual Acquaintance

I love you, New York. There. I said it.

I'm unabashedly, irrevocably, embarrassingly smitten with you. And you don't even know I exist.

You're not perfect though. You think you are, but you're not. Yes, everything I could ever want is at my fingertips 24 hours a day. Luxury in every capacity, over-stimulation in all the right ways. Sure, your inhabitants truly are a rare breed: intelligent, sophisticated, and sexy, like the sleek lines of your familiar avenues. But you're not without your flaws.

You're too complicated for me, for starters. Like a game of chess, you demand strategic perfection of my every move. I find myself planning 5 steps ahead all the time, just to fit into your delicately balanced jigsaw puzzle of commotion.

And really, you don't seem to care what I do as long as I'm doing it at the speed of light. Sometimes, New York, I don't want to move that quickly. I like the option of staying in first gear every once in a while.

I need my space, too. I like being able to stretch my arms out and spin around in a circle without fear of someone telling me to "get a job" or trying to put their spare change in my coffee cup. Central Park, while beautiful, doesn't afford me the necessary wide open spaces I require. It is merely a mirage. A reminder of what those who live there give up to hold you close and feel your powerful heartbeat.

Nevertheless, I still crave your attention. I stood on an upper east side apartment balcony, with a glass of champagne in my hand and the perfect fall air energizing me, and watched you. I was captivated as you moved and breathed in and out. I felt my adrenaline surge with Empire State of Mind thudding in my chest. I'm sure you know that you have that effect on people.

I'm a small town New England girl and was trained from birth to believe that there is a special place in hell for all things New York. But if I can make the leap, so can you. All I can do is be me, and hope that when we cross paths again, I might catch your eye.

New York, I love you. You're so beautiful it hurts, but I'm sure you hear that all the time.