Like the old saying goes, “home is where the heart is”, its so very true.

But for me, its much deeper than that. Home is where ever your heart leads you to be, yes, but its more so about where you endured and overcame the most, to be to where you need to be or currently are. For me, its my city. The westside of Chicago, Ill to be exact.
Yeah I know, chicago has a very bad rep of being known for its violence, shootings, gangs and anything negitive (much like other places around the world as well), but to me, being born and raised here, I’ve always seen and appreciated my city for so much more.
For me, Chicago raised me. Taught me to be tough, survival, made me to be strong, strong minded at very aware of the people all around you. How to be dependant on no one but yourself, and to be okay with being alone because of the evil and cruel people out there. Its like I had to be hard, to not be soft because people would see it as a weakness. Bascially tought me how to have a edge to me, for me to understand how strong, book smart as well as street smart, I had to be in this cruel world.
Now, dont get me wrong. As hard as the city made me, by seeing all the violence and things around me, it made me as confident and aware that I could and would one day make it out. You see, what the media dont show is that yes chicago has alot of violence, but it also has alot of love, beautiful places and exciting advantures to embark on as well. There are so many amazing places that you can go like the lakefront, the beaches, and my favorite, the convervtory central park flower house, that you can go that brings you such peace, to appreciate the city for its beauty that you wouldnt know excisted if you did not visit these places for yourself. These places brougth out a diffent side to me that I didnt know was there. Aside that was very calm, loving, grateful, giving and just apprecitive for living in the moment. Never saw myslf as a nature girl but I am now. Love being one with nature, its peaceful. Brings out a softer version of me, one is more grounded and okay with letting go and letting things just ….flow. Chicago has always have been and always will be: My City…. my home.

I would like do an honorable mention to another place that I hold dear to my heart; good old Minniapolas, Minesota. Not only was my husband from there, but also it was where our first home was together. After getting married, my husband and I left chicago with only the cloths on our backs and all of the money that we had in our wallets at the time and decided to start over in a new city, a place that he was familiar with in his youngest and happiest years lol. Minesota also taught me alot. Taught me the will of surviual without material things and how to soully depend on The Most High above; because we were homless for a while and both started our spiritual journies that lead us to greater understandings of our selves as well as the world. Much like chicago had done for me, minesota also taught me strengths that I never knew I had. Taught me to push myself, after both my husband and I were able to become Superviors at our jobs shortly after working our jobs(a first for us both)also taught me to never be afraid of being different and to actually allow myself to be set free of material things that never has and never will matter anyway. As long as I had God, my husband, and myself, that to me was home. No matter where in the world I would end up, I learned that home really is where your heart is. Is your heart pure? Is it full of love, hate, uncertainty? Is your heart set on material things or set on eternal things above? For me, home was where I was, or am at the moment, but also where my greatest life lessons came from. For me, the best things in life were not taught to me from school, or even my parents…….was taught to me by The Most High first……then my self and my husband….. and of course my city. Great Chicago…….. And Minesota. Both places will always hold special places in my heart, and they both will forever be called, “my home”.