After a while of not writing, it is so hard to start back up--where do I start? How do I start? There is so much that has been left unwritten--how can I possibly start now?
But alas, here goes nothing....
This past weekend, I went to Las Vegas. I love Vegas! Anyone who knows me might stare at me in wonder when I exclaim this proud fact about myself, but it's true. I, a conservative, Christian school girl, love Las Vegas. When other people see hookers, trash, grime, sex and sin, I see big lights, exciting places, fun atmospheres and a whole lot going on. Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to live there, but for a weekend away it's just as magical to me as Disneyland or a trip to Big Bear.
In fact, because my parents did such a great job at sheltering me and my sister from seeing the prostitutes and stripper ads when we went to Vegas as a family, I was almost surprised to see so many when I went on my own with a group of friends. I knew that Vegas would be a different place for me once I turned 21, and I think I expected it to lose some of its magic. But surprisingly, it didn't lose any of that magic at all really... it was still the beautiful city I had thanked Jesus for when I was a little girl. The lights still twinkled like a fantasy, and the excitement in the air wasn't tainted at all even though I was now fully aware of my surroundings. I began to see that maybe my parents weren't necessarily that great at hiding the grunge; maybe I just chose to see the glamour instead.
It's true that Vegas is called Sin City, and for good reason. Truly, if I wanted to get myself into trouble that would be the place to do it, but Vegas is also much more than that. If you look past the grime and see the city with a childlike innocence, you can discover great people just longing for some good times with their buddies. Look past the hookers on the street and you see the incredible architecture and beauty of a fabulous strip of hotels unlike anything else in the world. Look past the drunks in the seats next to you and listen to the piano players and the cool music of the 80's and 90's that you can't help but sing along too.... Vegas is a place where some unmentionables happen yes, but it's also a place where you can forget your sorrows, your disappointments in life, and your worries about tomorrow. Look to the guy next to you rooting you on as you spend your last dollar on craps and then buy him a drink when you win back more than you came with. Ironic as it may sound, Vegas is a place of hope, dreams, idealism, excitement, and bonding--that's why it's one of my favorite places... honestly, how could it not be?
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