I’m back home. I’m finally back to the city that birthed me. I’m back in the city that developed my soul. I’m back to the city that gave me culture. I’m back to the city that calls me back home whenever I stay away too long. I’m back in New Orleans.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10213073740617693&id=1218678471
I’m back home, in my New Orleans shotgun house that somehow, managed to feel, smell and look as if I never left. Even my plants I sat outside on the 1st of August as I rushed off to the airport managed to take care of themselves in my absence. I’m back home; living in a community hit by gentrification but I can still feel and see the roots of the trees of the village of long ago. I’m back home, smothered in love that is as thick as a hot, humid day in New Orleans.
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My life will call for me to leave once again; I’m hoping this call is already on my calendar. It would be sweet to leave home to visit my family and some structured fun. Instead of a trip of family recovery, a getaway from the pains of yesterday or the terrors of tomorrow. I’m tired of coming and going only to meet grief as I exit the plane.
When I leave next month as I planned, it will be to assist my grandkids on a flight to New Orleans and maybe a dash to Orlando to get a sprinkle of Disney Magic on us. I want to come home next time greeting New Orleans as she welcomed me back home, especially this time. I was gone for nearly three months, but New Orleans had me steady on her heart. I never knew I meant so much, I had value to others, to the city until now. My heart is overjoyed.
I want to come home with a fantastic story of how the city I left her for fed my soul instead of ate from it. I want to brag to her of all the fabulous things I experienced, instead of cry about the things that happened. Tell her about all the delicious food I devoured without the care of calories, instead of coming back home fat off boring meat and potatoes.
Does a place like this exist or is it an Only in New Orleans thang…??
Is there somewhere else other than New Orleans where I can be around family, friends and all those people in between without it being for us to mourn together?? Even while mourning people manage to be mad, turn up their noses at the very people they are supposed to love. I can picture a Second Line Funeral where everyone even the bitter can control their facial muscles as the sounds of the celebration of life enters their soul, turning that frown upside down as they do their version of a two-step with the beat.
Maybe that’s what makes New Orleans so unique, makes the city the number one travel destination in the world because it’s only here where everyone can be free. We are open to being loved, to show love and give love. Only in New Orleans, you can find people of every color in the rainbow, people of every nationality, just everyone all gathered together in one place bringing out The Happy, The Smiles and The Love by just being open to living at that very moment.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!! That’s what it’s all about in New Orleans.
That’s what it’s all about in New Orleans.
Not saying this type of living is not going on anywhere else in the world, but in my life and through my eyes, this is what I have witnessed. Other places not so much, especially recently.
Even the babies begging to come back to New Orleans, “Please, Nana please let me come to New Orleans so I can play with all my cousins and friends and eat crawfish, please Nana, I’m gonna be good.” Nah, you know if the kids want to be in that number, New Orleans even with all its issues has to be a happy place. .
I honestly feel wrapped in love when I’m home, a feeling I wish I could bottle up and share with you all.
Dat NOLA Chic 