How To Fall In Love Again.

Ahh love. It can move you, change you, make you cry and make you laugh. Oddly enough, a city can do much of the same. The sunset from the top of 17th Ave can move you. The destitute sight of the King Henry on 9th Ave can change you. Traffic on Crowchild can make you cry. & the sight of white tufts of snow in the middle of June can make you laugh... and then maybe cry... again.

I have had the pleasure of being introduced to some pretty incredible people over my short 20 years on this planet. I have always been one to believe that certain friendships happen for specific reasons.

One friendship reminded me of just how incredibly beautiful Calgary is. Sure, you might say that she isn't as romantic as Montreal. Or, you might mention that she isn't as intellectual as Toronto. You could even say that she doesn't have the stunning landscape of Vancouver. I might even agree with you about some of those things. I guess it's all about what you fall for in a relationship.

However, like many long-term relationships, sometimes you need to just pack a suitcase and put some distance between you and your loved one. Once your feet leave familiar ground there is an incredible feeling accompanied by setting your gaze on something your eyes have never blinked at before. That feeling is my absolute favorite. I would pass up strawberry rhubarb pie, the croaking of frogs, the smell of lilacs and and Momma B's homemade soup for 20 minutes with that feeling of discovery every day.

You can imagine now, how hard it is to return home after some solid time spent courting that fantastic feeling. Coming home to the same roads, the same street signs, the same trees and the same masses of concrete can be heartbreaking. When you are gone you begin to think that your familiar relationship with that city has probably changed. In essence though, you find out that your city hasn't changed. Oh no. It has sat there, like a little puppy dog, waiting for your return. Never even batting a lash. What has changed is you.

Now, this doesn't spell disaster. This isn't the end of that relationship. There aren't going to be any lonely nights where you lay thinking "I wonder if he/she is thinking about me now." But it might take some time for you to acclimatize your new eyes to your familiar city. It's a relationship right? They take work.

What you might not realize is that your city is begging you to make memories in places you have never been before. Your city is open for making memories in places that are hidden in plain view. Maybe it's that lush green park you discovered while you were trying to find a launching point to float down the river in the balmy days of summer. Or, it could be the time you got lost in the South East and stopped to notice the rough, simplistic beauty of the train tracks. Either way, I encourage you to really look at your city with those fresh eyes. You can't change the fact that you have numerous memories in familiar places. But you can trust that there is still so much to get out of your relationship with your city.

Photo Credit: Kelly Wilson

Peas & Luhv,

Brie