How to fall in love with a new city

From London, with love

Love for a city can grow.
(Image credit: iStock)

Almost six years ago, a man I'd been seeing for a few months told me he was in love with me.

Stunned, I responded with a string of apologetic, incomprehensible ramblings. While I liked this guy — a lot — I didn't love him yet, and I didn't want to lie. But I felt bad. I was sure he'd be hurt, take it personally, perhaps recoil from me, and that would have been awful. Because while I didn't love him just yet, I knew that I could. I saw the potential in our blossoming relationship and felt that if he could just give me a bit of time, I could say "I love you, too," and mean it. Before I could spin myself into a panic, he said with a gentle smile, "It's okay if you're not there yet. I just wanted to tell you."

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.