Something struck me today. I realized that I have now spent the same amount of time in Texas as I did in Michigan for college. After four years of college, I had a lot of Michigan pride. I felt a connection with the state and even considered it my home away from home. In my time as a Michigander (Mish-ih-gan-der), I acquired a University of Michigan hat.
In my time in Texas, I have a pair of cowboy boots, a pickup truck, and a taqueria saved into the contacts of my cell. While I do not have much Texas pride at this point, I sure have begun to look like a Texan...and that is a little scary.
Here's what's crazy. I am a New Yorker, or at least that's what I identify myself as. However, I have not lived in New York for nearly 9 years! So, this begs the question: What defines us? What constitutes as our "home"? I reckon (see, there I go again) I will always identify myself and my home as being New York, even though I don't think I will ever live in New York again.
If the Buffalo Bills relocate to Toronto, I will feel extremely upset even though I am not longer in the Buffalo area.
Maybe I am overreacting. Maybe it's not so bad to realize that I am slowly becoming a Texan, at least in the material sense of things. But somehow, for some reason, deep down, I will always be living in Western New York. I will always be a New Yorker.
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