Some of the best nights of my life have been in this city. I’m no longer interested in staying out till 6am drinking red bull and dancing to house music, but if I were, Miami is definitely the place I would do it.

I lived in South Florida for ten years. Towards the end of my stay here, I started to get a bit jaded. I made all of my friends in Florida, and over the years people started moving away.

Eventually, I was the only one left out of my group of friends who I got sober with and built my life with. That final year made me think a lot about “what’s next.”

One thing led to another, and Jules and I built a new life for ourselves in Nashville.

But being back here is making me see this city in a new light. I’ll always feel at home here. People in Miami are much healthier than they are in Nashville. They eat better, they move quicker, they make better food, and they work with more urgency.

The roads are paved, there’s no trash on the sidewalks, and everyone here has somewhere to be.

It’s comforting for me to be around the busyness. I like the feeling of being immersed in a crowd.

And then there’s the beach.

The beach in Miami is different than the beach everywhere else. Crystal clear ocean has a different impact on your soul than the green murky ocean waters in Jersey. I’ll always remember staring into this ocean, finally realizing what it means to be powerless.

No matter how big and bad I think I am, the ocean will always be able to sweep me away at any moment. It’s a constant reminder of how little control I have over the world around me.

My dad and my sister are on their way here for a visit. Tomorrow I am meeting up with Tricia, Tori, and Bryan for the first time in years. I can’t wait to see everyone together.

I’m feeling good. I’m feeling more relaxed than I can remember feeling for the last three years.

Talk to you tomorrow.

The Blank Page

I Love It Here - Miami Day 5