Coming Home: Finding Joy in Familiar Places
🌆 Coming Home: Finding Joy in Familiar Places 🌆
By Angel, Founder of AMC Rise and Thrive
This week, I’m heading back to a place that shaped me in more
ways than I can count—Chicago. It’s more than just a city to me. It’s my
roots. My rhythm. My first home. While I’ve built a beautiful life elsewhere,
there’s something magnetic about returning to the place where your journey
began. Even with its grit, its edge, and its unpredictable rhythm, Chicago
has a pulse that still beats in sync with my soul.
When you revisit a place from your past, especially one as
formative as your hometown, it feels like stepping into a time capsule.
Suddenly, long-forgotten memories are stirred—the ones tucked away so deep you
didn’t even know they were still with you. Walking through familiar streets,
past corner stores, schools, and bus stops, it’s like catching a glimpse of a
younger version of yourself—laughing, dreaming, growing—just around the corner.
There’s something sacred about sharing your childhood with the
people in your life now.
Taking family members to see where you grew up, to eat what you ate, and to
experience what you once called “normal” becomes a deeply personal kind of
storytelling. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s healing. It’s honoring. It’s
full-circle.
🌊 Where
the Lake Met My Soul
One of my favorite places to visit while I’m home is Lake
Michigan. Before I ever laid eyes on the vastness of the ocean, Lake
Michigan was my beach. The first time I saw waves crash on a shore, it
was right there—just a short drive from my childhood home. I remember
sun-soaked afternoons, chasing seagulls, and breathing in that mix of
freshwater and city air. Back then, I was blissfully unaware of the world
beyond the skyline. Now, as an adult, I return with a deeper sense of
appreciation.
This body of water taught me how to be still. How to reflect.
How to dream without limits. And even now, years later, it invites me to
reconnect with the version of myself who once believed anything was possible.
🍽️ Food,
Memories & Joy
Let’s talk about food—because yes, I’m one of those
people who plans entire trips around what I’m going to eat. And I’m not ashamed
of it.
When I go back to Chicago, there are certain dishes I
absolutely must have—no exceptions.
First up: an Italian beef sandwich from Tony’s on Pulaski—dripping with
flavor, perfectly dipped, and full of soul. Then there’s Beggars Pizza,
known for its iconic thin crust and generous cheese pull that only a real
Chicago pie can deliver. And of course, shrimp from Lawrence’s—crispy,
seasoned just right, and always satisfying.
I also crave a Becky Thatcher from Huck Finn’s, which
is basically comfort food heaven on a plate. Add in their famous cinnamon
roll French toast, and my taste buds are dancing. And I’d be lying if I
said I didn’t hunt down a solid torta—the kind with fluffy bread, juicy
meats, and all the toppings.
I easily gain 10 pounds when I’m in town—but to me, it’s not
indulgence. It’s joy. Every bite brings back a memory, a smile, a sense
of rootedness.
🛍️
Treasure Hunts at the Flea Market
Another place that holds a special kind of joy for me? The Alsip
Flea Market.
It’s like diving headfirst into a treasure chest—you never know what you’re
going to find. An air fryer for 50.00. A hard-to-find bottle of perfume. The
perfect outfit for half the price. Maybe even something you didn’t know you
needed until it found you.
It’s not just shopping—it’s an adventure. A spiritual
scavenger hunt. And the joy I feel when I score a great deal? Unmatched.
👨👩👧👦 The Real
Treasure: Family
But beyond the food, the shopping, and the nostalgia, the real
magic of returning home is in the time spent with family.
There’s something incredibly grounding about being with people
who’ve known you forever.
The cousins who still call you by your childhood nickname. The aunts who cook
your favorite dish without even asking. The cousins who remember the trouble
you got into as a kid. My 2nd mom making Puerto Rican rice. My dad
making chicken or steak like the days of old.
In a world that moves fast and changes constantly, those
connections act as anchors. They remind you who you were—and who you
still are underneath it all.
Summer in Chicago is something special. It means BBQs in the
backyard, birthday celebrations that stretch into the night, fireworks lighting
up the sky, and sharing chisme in the kitchen. Sometimes, we do nothing more
than lounge on the couch watching TV in comfy clothes—and honestly, those are
the moments I treasure the most. The ones that feel easy, familiar, real.
🏙️ Chicago
Tough
Now let’s be real—Chicago is tough.
It’s not a place where you walk around with your guard down. That’s something
you learn early on: keep your head on a swivel. Be aware. Move smart.
But that toughness? It becomes a part of you. It gives you
edge, resilience, a kind of street smarts that you carry wherever you go.
Chicago raised me with thick skin, sharp instincts, and a heart that doesn’t
back down.
💭 Places
Hold Memories
If you still live in your hometown, it’s easy to take it for
granted. But if you’ve left and come back, you feel it differently. You see it
through wiser eyes. You hear echoes in the streets, feel warmth in the walls.
Sometimes, I think places hold memories just like
our hearts do.
And when we return, it’s like the city remembers us, too.
A familiar scent. A street name. A song on the radio.
Suddenly, you’re transported.
Home isn’t always a place. Sometimes, it’s a feeling.
Sometimes it’s the people. And sometimes, it’s both.
✨
Affirmation:
“I honor the places and people that shaped me. I
find joy in the memories and meaning in the moments.”
📖 Bible
Verse:
"For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also." — Matthew 6:21
So, wherever you call home—whether you live there now
or just visit when you can—honor it.
Honor the people, the food, the laughter, the lessons. And if you’re lucky
enough to have roots in more than one place, nurture them. Let them remind you
of your story.
Because at the end of the day, our lives aren’t just told in
words.
They’re written in the sidewalks we once ran across barefoot, the smells that
bring tears to our eyes, and the voices that once called our names from front
porches and open windows.
Places carry energy. Places carry love.
And sometimes, returning is just the soul’s way of remembering who we are.
With love and light,
Angel
Founder of AMC Rise and Thrive
🕛 New
blog posts are published every other day at midnight CST.
Tune in and join me on this soulful journey. 💫
🎧 Vibe
With Me
Want to feel the essence of this post through music?
Listen to Chi Town by Da Brat (Explicit) here:
👉 Chi
Town – Da Brat
🎶 Missed
a song from a previous post?
Catch the full curated playlist here:
👉 AMC
Rise and Thrive Playlist on YouTube Music
Let the music move you.
#HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs #ChicagoVibes #SoulfulTravel
#FamilyTime #NostalgicJourney #AMCRiseandThrive
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