When I moved to Memphis seven years ago, all the rage was being made about Richard Florida’s book on the importance of place. Memphis was obsessed with quality of life and recruiting the best and the brightest. This led to hundreds of improvements and the creation of organizations and initiatives that are alive today. These efforts are important and needed, but I wonder if we need to begin thinking about “what’s next.”

Leaving Memphis for New York City was a difficult transition. While I am glad I remain connected to the city through my job, it was hard to leave a place I had spent the past six years deeply invested in. Were these investments now lost? Was my departure a signal that the city was no longer worthy of investment? Not in the least.  Life simply opened up an opportunity for my family in New York and we had to follow the path laid out before us. But how could I remain faithful to the love I had for Memphis?

Loving a city is more than simply loving her amenities. It’s about loving the soul of the community and always remaining “faithful” to her, even when we live in other places. Does this make me a polygamist? Probably so, but I wonder if we should be expected to be monogamous in our love for where we live. Can’t we be rooted in more than once place?

Today, I remained deeply connected to Memphis through my friendships, my job and my commitment to a number of organizations in the city. While I don’t know if I’ll ever return to Memphis, I know that Memphis will always remain with me. We are asked to shape the cities we live in without thinking about how those cities shape us. For me, I am forever changed by this city.

commitment, Memphis, New York City, roots Memphis Living