Dear New York,

There are places we visit, and then there are places that become part of our identity.

A City Too Big, Until It Wasn’t

I came to New York in my twenties, young but determined, carrying a dream that felt almost too big for my hands. I wasn’t born here. I didn’t grow up calling NYC home. But somehow, over time, the city wrapped itself around me until I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. Living here showed me something entirely different. In my narration, I tell New York:

“From the outside, you look like a show, but I learned your softer side.”

The Beauty in the Imperfections

New York isn’t perfect. Its old buildings, noisy trains, crowded sidewalks, and nights where you fall asleep fully dressed from exhaustion. And yet, that’s exactly what makes it beautiful.

New York taught me that life isn’t meant to be flawless. It’s meant to be lived: fully, loudly, bravely. Even on the days that broke me a little, New York held me with its stubborn heartbeat. As I wrote in my poem:

“Life wouldn’t be remembered if it were made of only happy days.”

To my surprise, the poem came easily. The words flowed because they were true. The voiceover, though, was another story. Speaking feelings I usually keep tucked inside felt exposed, unfamiliar, even fragile. It took time to find a tone that was truly mine, a way to let the words live in my own voice. And when I finally did, I could release them into the air, and it felt like finally letting myself be heard.

I hope this video carries you gently through my world, letting you see, feel, and wander alongside me.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRENotkjdbu/