“Do you ever think you’ll move back to New York?”

It’s a question I’ve been asked more than once. I used to dance around it.

“I don’t know. Maybe someday.”

But the truth is, I will never move back to NYC.

There is much to love about NYC and Brooklyn in particular, which is where I lived.

I love that the subway makes nearly the entire city accessible by train. I love walking down the sidewalk, sun on my face, headphones in my ears, and stopping to get a slice or a cluster of ripe tomatoes.

I love the endless array of stores that sell an endless array of items. Have you been to the lighting district? Or the flower district? And let’s not even talk about shoes. Saks Fifth Avenue has a shoe floor with its own zip code.

There are the beautiful buildings that divide the sky into patches of blue and glass and granite. The musicians. The art. I could go on and on.

In many ways, NYC has it all.

But when I left, it no longer felt like home. It did for a time and then it didn’t.

When you leave NYC, people tend to look at you as though you failed. It suggests you couldn’t make it in the city that brags, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”

NYC has a lot to offer, but it doesn’t have everything.

It doesn’t have more than 10,000 lakes. It doesn’t have Minnehaha Falls. It doesn’t have First Avenue. It doesn’t have The Loft Literary Center. It doesn’t have Hunt & Gather. It doesn’t have The Current. It doesn’t have Rock the Garden. And it certainly doesn’t have an Internet Cat Video Festival. Or cheese curds. Fresh cheese curds might be reason enough to stay in the Midwest.

You can afford to buy a house here. There is so much green space, and so many things to do. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by all the concerts and art shows and readings and new places to eat.

That is what I love about the Midwest too. When I get overwhelmed, I just take some time out and lie in my hammock. Or grill out on the deck. Or take my dog for a walk. Or curl up and watch some Game of Thrones.

The pace of life is slower here. It is less about competition and more about collaboration. People generally want to help each other, and they want to see you do well. People just want to enjoy life.

Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of collaboration in NYC too. And people there help each other. I would also argue New Yorkers get a bad reputation for being unfriendly. I mean some of them are, some of them aren’t.

It is a different vibe in the Midwest. My life is more peaceful since I’ve been back. And I like peaceful.

The truth is I’m a Midwest girl at heart. And if that makes me soft, I guess I’m soft.

I own a house in Minneapolis. It’s not far from Minnehaha Falls and Lake Nokomis. And it’s right off the light rail, so I have quick access to the rest of the city when I don’t want to drive.

It is a good mix of city life and serene, outdoor space.

When I was thinking about writing this blog, I jotted down a note, “Minnesota fits me like my favorite pair of jeans.”

And it does. Minnesota fits like home.

This week’s song had to be “Say Shh” by Atmosphere. Atmosphere is a Minnesota guy to boot.