Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.
-Anatole France
One rainy November afternoon, my husband asked me out to lunch and, instead of getting me something yummy to eat, he got me a laptop. I’d been at home packing up our belongings as we prepared to uproot our life in the Holy City (Charleston, SC) and this generous gift was, to say the very least, a big surprise. ”Now you have everything you need to do what you love,” he said. I think he was on to something…
The stories, images, and afterthoughts found on this blog are a humble and authentic depiction of one newcomer’s take on the South’s ”Magic City”, Birmingham, Alabama. I moved here in December 2009 and have been diligently exploring this vast area ever since, constantly seeking the unique and sometimes obvious idiosyncracies of the city. My shiny silver laptop follows me wherever I go.
Now, truth be told, I’ve always had a bit of a chip on my shoulder when it comes to Birmingham. Perhaps it’s because my path thus far has only offered me a “bypass” view of what magic is lurking deep in the valleys and atop these grand hills. Perhaps it’s because my hometown isn’t very far away (just over the Mississippi state line, to be exact) and settling in the Magic City has always just seemed…well, “settling”.
For all the best reasons in life, I am here. This is where we’ll raise our sons and, therefore, this is where I’ll begin to craft my own legacy.
My Magic City Manifesto is a personal journey to find the very best this city has to offer. If for nothing more than to make my mama proud, this is my attempt to make the most out of time and place, out of what God has blessed me with, and to create an intelligent and compassionate community for our children to grow up in…
I hope that you’ll find your own way here in Birmingham and that you’ll share your stories with me - we each have our own manifesto to follow and enjoy…I hope you’ll find some enjoyment in mine.
Cheers,
Laura Kate Whitney