Journal Entry #2 - Brooklyn Heights <3

Happy Friday readers!!!! Today, I wanted to do a more personal blog entry because I am definitely reminiscing a bit this morning, and wanted to share all those warm, bittersweet feelings. In about a month, it will mark a year since I moved to New York (first Brooklyn, then Manhattan). This morning, I was reading some of my entries from my initial move, and omigosh I was like a child in a candy store as cliche as that sounds. I was truly encapsulated by everything: every building, every honk, every warm chai tea latte, every cute boy on the street, every drop of rain. It makes me so warm inside to read back these journal entries of my dreams really turning into my LIFE, and how extremely happy it made me (and still does!). So I wanted to share a few of these entries with you to keep those good vibes well and alive (I apologize in advance because these journal logs are pretty CRINGY!! haha).

So let's start at the veryyyyy beginning:

July 31st, 2020

Today I am flying to NYC!!! Is this real life?? My eyes tear as my mom walks away from security and I head straight into my new life. As the plane begins to descend, I gently open my window, wondering how my emotions would play out as I see the shadows of my new home. A tear escapes my eye. I was exactly where I was supposed to be. As Taylor sings in my ear, a driver leaves me at my apartment with NO help and an 80 pound suitcase!! A young man from my new building helps me, showing me hope in his eyes. As I move into an apartment with kind strangers surrounding me, I laugh. Romanticizing your life really works, and God was working out his beautiuful plan for me in that exact moment. As always, I embarrass myself on the daily... so, of course, I couldn't flush the toilet so the landlord came up to help... and I just wasn't pushing the handle down hard enough...

August 4th, 2020

A slight patter wakes me as I see the cloudy, rainy morning! I love rain and my heart jumps into all the puddles like a little kid. People say I'll get tired of the rain, but I don't think so. As I warm my tea and oatmeal, light a candle, and prep for my zoom class, I feel the beginning of fall surround me. My soul jumps at excitement just thinking about spending my autumn in NYC. I take the whole day to soak in the storm. My heart is at rest. Before bed, I strum worship songs on my guitar. I feel Jesus hugging me tight. I just know He loves the city, too.

August 13th, 2020

Brooklyn has treated me so well, and I am so thankful! The quaintness of the streets, the dewy sidewalks from the rain. I really have been so content here lately, even despite my strongest pull of emotions. Not everyday here is going to be the happiest days, though, and I have found peace within that. I can feel the brownstones folding in around me, comforting me like an old friend. It is funny how I just barely moved here, but already feel broken in. Maybe it is the barber under my fire escape that compliments my guitar playing, or maybe it is the humidity that is just making my brain all mush, but the wonder I feel here doesn't ever dissipate. That is a gift in itself.

Hope y'all enjoyed this more personal blog entry. It definitely is embarrassing for me as I type these out--- they are so child-like and cringe, but I think that is what I love about them, too.

Deep love,

Nina Lee

(picture is my own)