My dearest Hamilton what can I say. We have been in a relationship for 26 years now, one where I call you my home. Hamilton is where I was born, where I grew up, went to school and started building a life I enjoyed.
A big part of my identity surrounds McMaster. McMaster, the university and the children’s hospital has played an integral role in who I am today. I owe my life to the doctors and nurses in the NICU who made my stay as a preemie comfy. To the nurses on 3C who cared for me during my stays with RSV and again during my scoliosis spinal instrumentation surgery when I was 16, you made the box TV and the squeaky bed alright. McMaster University is where I learned to become a nurse and met so many people who I now call my best friends and mentors. McMaster hospital is where I volunteered playing xbox with kids and then worked still playing xbox with kids. I owe so much to McMaster that it will a real change when I don’t have to drive down to Mac almost every day.
Hamilton kind of grew with me. It wasn’t odd for me to take the HSR with my grandma when I was 7 to get to the grocery store. The HSR was how I got to school, got to Lime Ridge, how I got to downtown to volunteer with the Hamilton Community Foundation when it wasn’t cool to go downtown yet.
I learned about the struggles that Hamilton youth faced when I worked at the YMCA and the questions they challenged me with as I helped them with their first summer job. Seeing the resources that the Living Rock has to offer youth and being able to support them annually at Soupfest has never made me happier to eat soup until my heart’s content.
I am so proud that Hamilton has become the Brooklyn of Toronto. The hip steel town city that has made a name for itself with its thriving arts and food scene. Being able to invest in the economy of Hamilton by trying locally sourced foods at restaurants and trying new craft beer makes me excited to explore new things in my city.
I will always call Hamilton home. I will forever be proud of what Hamilton has become. There will be nothing like watching the tiger cats hopefully win a game at Ivor Wynne stadium – yes I still call it that.
Until next time Hamilton. Don’t open too many restaurants while I am gone.
One of your biggest fans.
Krista
The mountains are calling... but I still live with my parents 