The Bronx gets a bad rep but what place doesn't. Every place has its bad areas, even a place like Lancaster. I'm currently looking for an apartment here and my supervisor says there's a saying when people look for a place in Lancaster. "West is the best" she said. Whatever that means.
I'm from the Bronx. Kingsbridge and Jerome to be exact. When my mom and dad split, my mother,brother and I moved to the Throggs Neck projects but I spent my weekends in Kingsbridge and Jerome visiting my father.
I now currently reside in Lancaster, PA. Ever since my family and I moved to PA, I never stopped missing the Bronx. I have no connection to PA even though I've now been here for half my life. There's so many things about the Bronx I miss. When I find some of the things I miss about the Bronx in the hood parts of Lancaster, I feel at home. Some people would probably feel out of place and call it the ghetto but for me it feels like home.
I miss the hood because I miss the sense of community and togetherness. People in the hood got your back. We look out for one another because all we have is each other. There's an unwritten rule of loyalty and respect and people follow that.
I miss the hood because I don't have to go to a Wal-Mart and be worried if I'm going to find what I need. The bodegas and habibi stores always hook me up. Whether it's seasoning, cleaning supplies, or even my favorite snack, I know they got it. And guess what? If they don't got it, there's a bodega two doors down that does.
I miss the businesses ran by Black and Latino owners. The mom and pop shops. I miss seeing my people come up in the business world and make a living doing what they love. I miss supporting that.
I miss the summer time in the hood. I miss the block parties, festivals, and park bbqs. I miss seeing people on the sidewalk playing cards and dominoes; laughing and smiling together just to beat the New York City heat. I miss seeing the kids play in the fire hydrant. I was one of those kids.
I miss the parks man! I have yet to see one hand ball court in PA! The parks also had sprinklers. How dope is that to have on a hot summer day!?
Most importantly, I miss my family. I didn't get to finish growing up with my cousins. I didn't get to see my cousins start their own families. I have cousins who are married with kids and I haven't even met their kids or husband or wife. I miss my family get togethers. I miss just chillen with them, being around them. The loneliness my immediate family and I have experience from moving to PA broke our hearts. I miss the birthday parties, baptisms, and holidays with my family.
I miss the Bronx. I miss the hood so much. There's so much more I miss about the Bronx but if I wrote it all this might be a 10 page paper. I left my heart in the Bronx and I pray that one day I am able to return to my first love.
I'm from the Bronx. Kingsbridge and Jerome to be exact. When my mom and dad split, my mother,brother and I moved to the Throggs Neck projects but I spent my weekends in Kingsbridge and Jerome visiting my father.
I now currently reside in Lancaster, PA. Ever since my family and I moved to PA, I never stopped missing the Bronx. I have no connection to PA even though I've now been here for half my life. There's so many things about the Bronx I miss. When I find some of the things I miss about the Bronx in the hood parts of Lancaster, I feel at home. Some people would probably feel out of place and call it the ghetto but for me it feels like home.
I miss the hood because I miss the sense of community and togetherness. People in the hood got your back. We look out for one another because all we have is each other. There's an unwritten rule of loyalty and respect and people follow that.
I miss the hood because I don't have to go to a Wal-Mart and be worried if I'm going to find what I need. The bodegas and habibi stores always hook me up. Whether it's seasoning, cleaning supplies, or even my favorite snack, I know they got it. And guess what? If they don't got it, there's a bodega two doors down that does.
I miss the businesses ran by Black and Latino owners. The mom and pop shops. I miss seeing my people come up in the business world and make a living doing what they love. I miss supporting that.
I miss the summer time in the hood. I miss the block parties, festivals, and park bbqs. I miss seeing people on the sidewalk playing cards and dominoes; laughing and smiling together just to beat the New York City heat. I miss seeing the kids play in the fire hydrant. I was one of those kids.
I miss the parks man! I have yet to see one hand ball court in PA! The parks also had sprinklers. How dope is that to have on a hot summer day!?
Most importantly, I miss my family. I didn't get to finish growing up with my cousins. I didn't get to see my cousins start their own families. I have cousins who are married with kids and I haven't even met their kids or husband or wife. I miss my family get togethers. I miss just chillen with them, being around them. The loneliness my immediate family and I have experience from moving to PA broke our hearts. I miss the birthday parties, baptisms, and holidays with my family.
I miss the Bronx. I miss the hood so much. There's so much more I miss about the Bronx but if I wrote it all this might be a 10 page paper. I left my heart in the Bronx and I pray that one day I am able to return to my first love.
No comments:
Post a Comment