Gone churchin', or I *heart* this city

Husband, Toddler, and I did something completely out of character a couple weeks ago. We went to a church picnic. Going to a church picnic would be out of character for us even if we were active, involved members of an established church, as we tend to be nervous in situations where we don't know anyone. We're not so much church picnic type people; we're more cookouts in our own backyard or game night in our living room type of people. So attending a picnic where we literally knew no one, for a church that hasn't actually been established was a little odd for us.
I read about the picnic on a local mom's online forum, and I checked out the church's website. There wasn't anything on the website that seemed to indicate that attendees should bring their own snakes, so I told Husband that Toddler and I would be going. In a moment of I don't know what-stupidity? kindness? mega-brain fart?-Husband said, "Do you want me to go with you? I'll go with you if you want." Now, Husband tends to be very supportive of my crazy schemes-after mocking them and convincing me to give up on them-then he becomes supportive-so I immediately accepted his offer. I didn't even do that thing that I do where I muddle over it and say things like, Well, if you want to, or You really don't have to, or No, we'll be fine, you just do what you want to do.
We arrived at the park, and I for one, had a vomit-inducing knot in my stomach. We sat in the parking lot debating turning the car around, going home, and having a quiet afternoon in which we'd take turns trying to get the baby to sleep. I'm not sure what kept me from telling Husband to back out of the parking space and drive home as fast as he could. I got out of the car, slapped sunscreen on Toddler and clung to Husband's hand.
We made awkward small talk with new people for about 90 minutes, while we ate cookout food including some of the most amazing spoonbread I'd ever tasted in my life, and I tried to keep my child from terrorizing other small children. Sidenote: he really really really really really really really likes to share, but he also really really really really really really really really likes to take things that other people are currently using or eating.
Husband and I were basically just waiting for the talk where we'd learn more about the church and its mission. Eventually the prospective pastor began his talk*:
I've always felt called to start a church. And we thought about a lot of different cities. We looked at some really cool cities, cities that are kind of sexy, attractive. And then there's our city. And all I can really say is that in comparison, well, our city's got a great personality. We've got great restaurants, mediocre public transportation, in the summer it feels like we're living inside a dog's mouth, and then there's the crime and crippling poverty.
You walk around and see people wearing those shirts that say "I Heart New York." And it's true. Everyone hearts NY. It's easy to heart NY. What we want is people who heart this city as much as other people heart NY. That's what we want our church to do. We want to really reach out and love this city. We believe that this church can really impact this city for the better.
The pastor's words really resounded with me. This, I thought, is what I've been feeling. This is what I've been trying to express all these months. These are sentiments I can get behind.
I sort of felt like a failure when we moved back to my hometown. I was supposed to go out and travel the world and live in fabulous cities, and there was no room in this for a husband, a child, or a house, and there was definitely no room for coming back home. But I did. And I fell passionately in love with my hometown in a way that shocked me and in a way that I could not articulate. I have no friends here. We're not living in one of the more urban areas of the city. I got yelled at my a crazy man while on my bike this afternoon. People use the sidewalks as their own personal rubbish bins, and I'm constantly dodging shit and broken glass when I bike or run or go on walks. I heart this city for reasons I cannot comprehend, and I am excited that there are people out there who feel the same way.

*paraphrased a few weeks after the fact