So now you know my proximity to the crescent city. Now, how do I feel about it? Well, I will say that I can appreciate its history. All you have to do is walk in the French Quarter, look up at St. Louis Cathedral or out over Jackson Square, and you can feel the culture. I am still up for an occasional trolley ride or a stroll along the Mississippi. But...I don't know if I will say that I love it. It is dirty. Crime is bad. Many areas of New Orleans frighten me. I am glad that I live near a big city, but on the other hand, I am glad that I am not that near.
Not so for #324. He was born and raised in the city and he loves it. He is married to a friend of mine from here and they are raising their six kids there. After Hurricane Katrina, he and his family moved to our town for two years, while the city tried to rebuild. Their home needed major renovations and was not inhabitable. Their kids needs some sort of normalcy so they moved here, rented a home, and enrolled their kids in a local school. I think that they were happy here. I know that my boys loved having them here. But slowly, like so many other New Orlean-ians, they felt the pull back to the city. They moved back a few years ago, and are part of the rebirth of the city of New Orleans. They play ball at Audubon Park. They support the uptown area and are involved with many clubs and activities in the city. Their kids attend old New Orleans schools that have lots of tradition involved. These are the type of people who keep the culture and the history of New Orleans alive. These are the type of people that the city needs to keep it thriving.
So, while I don't think that New Orleans is a place that I would ever want to call home, I am glad people like #324 do. It is people like him that have allowed this great city to rebuild and become better. It is because of people like him that my children will be able to experience all it has to offer.
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