MYami

One of my joys when I am visiting my hometown of Miami is to get up early in the morning and drive to my old neighborhood. I drive down my the street where I grew up and observe how it has changed. I look at what used to be grocery stores and bakery shops and wonder what happened to them. I am filled with wonderful memories of what it was to actually have a neighborhood where we knew everyone and we could play in the street. I drive by some of the houses of people I grew up with, people I visited and reminisce about how it was to actually belong to a place. I realize on each of those early morning drives, that whatever I used to be, and whatever I have become were products of strong MYami roots.

I love the morning smells. I love eating conch salad and drinking coffee for breakfast. I love seeing the mango trees and going to the grocery store and seeing food from the tropics. I love the cultural diversity. I love cherishing the old Miami and embracing the new.It is a different place, but it still resonates with me. It is MY place. It is what I love and who I am.

I love being near the Atlantic Ocean--MYocean! I love seeing the sparkling sun in the early morning (especially since I don't have to go out in it unless I want to).
I am a child of humidity, yet, I appreciate the "irconditioness" of this city.

MYami saddens me and it gives me great joy. The sadness comes when I remember the loss of so many people who were such integral parts of my life here. One disadvantage of being away from home for a very long time is that you don't get a chance to see people age and transition--it all hits you at one visit. It puts me in touch with my own mortality. I missed my fiftieth class reunion a couple of week-ends ago and when I looked at our class directory and saw the list of those no longer with us, it was another defining moment.

I love being in the presence of my 87 year old "mother person" who when I asked if she had sugar (for cereal) responded no. When I inquired further, she told me that she thought I meant sugar diabetes. I love learning that listerine is a wonderful mosquito repellent.

South Beach is not Myami! The Dolphins are! The Miami Heat will be! Northwest is! Old ladies are! Family is! Old friends are! Booker T. is! Oh MYami! Oh Bahamas!