butterflies fly pretty high.

When I close my eyes, or even keep them open, and I picture all of the images that have been ingrained into my mind over all the years of my life, I see beautiful things. Tomorrow I leave and though naturally I am nervous and I am not sure how one truly "readies" themself for this, I am ready to see beautiful things.. Today I drove to my sisters and I went all the way up 5th st, from South Philly to North. I thought many things to myself, of which many of you Philly natives have naturally thought too. However, today, knowing it was my last day in the city for awhile, I looked deeper and well, I thought "Goddamn this city is a shithole!" Now now, don't get it twisted. Mt.Airy, Chestnut Hill, Center city, etc., all that is realllll nice, but not everyone lives in all that and we know that. I really want to return with a new appreciation for the city I grew up in and have loved all my life and just like that tourist slogan we all love to hate, it really has loved me back. Today I felt frustration. Frustration at our mayor, at our people, at the crime (how 'bout that homicide rate?), even at myself for somehow being a part of the filth (because face it, if you're not part of the solution you're part of the... thats right). Anyway, the truth is if Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love, isn't it about that time we really love our brothers and each other in this city? I look forward to that day like I do a holiday. Until then I am leaving, but I'll be back, and after this extreme educational workout I want to return with some knowledge on how we can really fix this city. Because the answer does not lie in "moving to NY" or "getting rid of Street," the answer lies within us. Until we meet ago, adios amigos y amantes.