New York City is a place of lost innocence. From broken dreams and life-changing mistakes to financial ruin and regretful relationships, this City feeds on lost innocence like a midnight raccoon in a Central Park trash can. And that’s a good thing. 

Innocence is ignorance. Innocence is naivety. Innocence is overrated – because it is an inaccurate portrayal of reality. And if you live in that place of innocence, your inexperience in real life can lead to assumptions and judgments that can hurt other people who don’t have the luxury of your innocence. 

For centuries, people have flocked to New York City to chase their dreams. From talented, aspiring Broadway actors to immigrant families from remote villages, people come to New York City for a better life. And that hope, by nature, comes with the risk of failure. The truth is most people who come to New York City fail to achieve their ill-fated dreams. But with that loss of innocence comes transcendence. And this is when you know you’ve become a true New Yorker. 

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