Ahh, Home, revisited 5.5 years later

Ahh, home.  No matter where I live, what stage of life I'm in, or how happy I am to be anywhere other than New York, New York will always somehow be home.

Does this happen to everyone?  Does the place where one grows up somehow define what one considers home?  Ed Sheeran seems to think so in "Castle on the Hill".  Still, I feel as though New York is special; it really, really gets under your skin... my skin.

I love how crowded the city is and all of the energy and creativity that comes with such density.
I hate how crowded the city is and all of the headache and congestion that comes with such density.

I love how there's something to do in NY around every corner; there's always an adventure.
I hate how there's something to do in NY around every corner; I'm tired enough just being a mom, wife, doctor, friend.

I love how the best want to come to NY and make it as spectacular as it is.
I hate how the best want to come to NY because it makes for a constant rat race that has no end.

Ahh, home.  I love and hate you all at once.  Thanks, New York, for teaching me about ambivalence.  I don't think any other place in the world could have taught me ambivalence the way you have.