I moved to Vegas in April of 1997. It is safe to say that Vegas and I didn't get along so great at first. I knew only one girl when I moved here. She was a friend from hairschool and she was my roommate. Her brother was opening a salon and I came to work for him. I wanted to move back home from the day I arrived. Las Vegas was hot. I didn't think people were friendly. I didn't know how to get anywhere. I had no money. I was completely out of my comfort zone and lost. Pride would not let me move home. I was determined to make it on my own. I struggled through the first six months. I decided I would stay for a year and then move on.
After a few months I began to make friends. I got involved in church functions and I started building a clientele at work. I started to feel a little better about being in Vegas but still didn't want to make it my home. I had some crazy experiences like being offered money to spend the weekend with a high roller and several marriage proposals and living arrangements from older men. My eyes were open for sure.
After living here for two years I met my husband. We got married in December of 1999. I Still didn't think Vegas was my place. I miss winter. I want to drink hot chocolate by a fire at Christmas instead of mow my lawn. It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I would move in a heartbeat. I have great friends here and I have made my peace with Vegas but I have never wanted to be here. I love my kids schools, they have great friends, we have an incredible village here but I miss the mountains and lakes and rivers.
My feelings about Vegas changed on Monday. I felt a deep amount of love for this city. I felt proud of our police department. I started thinking about the last twenty years that I have spent here. It's a city like no other. It is a different type of place to raise kids but as I thought about my life here and the people I am surrounded by I had an overwhelming feeling that these are my people. This city has been so very good to me. I was able to make my own life here. I had a great career as a hair dresser. I found my eternal companion here and together we have been blessed with three awesome kids here. I thought about the challenges we have had and the people who have supported us in those trials. In many ways I feel like Vegas is where I really grew up. It is where I learned to be an adult and to handle life on my own. It is where I have learned to give back to my community through service.
I don't know why people do bad things. I don't know why someone would randomly shoot at thousands of people. I don't want to know why. What I am most interested in is my city and the people here who offered help. The peopole who were injured and killed were from all over the country but the people who responded to help were the locals. They are kind, passionate, and strong and I am proud to be one of them.
What I feel now after 20 and a half years is that I am so proud to be from Vegas. I love this city. I still hate the weather and I still miss the snow but I am so proud of my city and I am so grateful to be raising my children among people who will drop everything to serve others. For the first time ever I have allowed myself to feel and to admit that Vegas is in every way my home.
1 comment:
This is great. I love it and I love you.
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