beat 242 - ablaze

"It's the light of a thousand smiles, all the people I love all packed in one tiny ball. It's what keeps me going. It is wanderlust, so far away yet keeps me connected...all at the same time."


-Jamie Cook, Brooklyn, NY
Queen of hair - Whittemore House

beat 241 - overflowing

"My heart is simple, selective and loyal. I love friends, family and my Texan unconditionally. There's also a huge reserve tank of love in my heart for all the kids I work with and an even bigger reserve for my own children...someday."


-Kristyn Lobo, Hoboken, NJ
teacher and owner of Traveling Tumblers

beat 240 - renovated

"It's healing, learning how to heal itself. And I'm just now starting to find these small moments where I feel a true sense of gratitude that my heart has been broken. That means I've taken a real risk, and loved deeply and selflessly. I've emerged from the hurt a much stronger woman. One day, I will take that kind of risk again. What a beautiful part of living. Of being human, and vulnerable."


-Meg Haston, Chicago
Writer

beat 239 - paramount

"Why do you want to know about my heart? It's nothing special. It's only the strongest, happiest, most talented thing in this city. What, you don't believe me? See me dance and hear the beat. That's when it beats the most, that thing's got power. And so do I. Unstoppppppable."


-Michael Jakson, Queens, NY
dancer

beat 238 - preserved

"My heart is here [holds her hand to her chest] and it's sooooooooooooooooooooo big. But I wont give it to you, it's mine and I like it."


-Maggie, NYC
4 years old

beat 237 - dependable

"My heart gives selflessly. My heart holds a special place for those who gave it tender love and care when it was crushed. My heart can be a bit sensitive but always finds a way to understand that other hearts are just as vulnerable. My heart loves tremendously. My heart is so blessed!"


- Tara O'Gorman, Westchester County, NY
Educator, Photographer, Film Maker

beat 236 - credulous

"Damn, the irony of such a question because I am coming from a breakup that wasn't initiated by me. Love can be so right but timing can be so wrong. For all the people that read this and can relate to it, I would tell them not to give up. Hearts and love are powerful, if a heart can keep beating through technical breakdowns and accidents, they can make it through patches of loveless times."


-Jordan, Brooklyn, NY
computer programmer 

beat 235 - motive

"It's big, gentle, flapping and I always listen to it. Absolutely. It mostly says good things.
It's my engine. If it's happy, all is going good. If it's not happy, then we need to make an adjustment. That's the deal. We have a little deal for sure."


-Vic, New York City

beat 234 - clan

"Mon coeur est rempli d'amour avec toute ma famille et mon neveu en particulier. mon coeur est toujours heureux."


-Amelie, Paris, France
8 years old

beat 233 - dither

"Sometimes my heart thinks I should have never gotten married."


-P, NY

beat 232 - lost

"My heart is very confused. It doesn't know what it wants."


-Thomas Falkenstein, Miami, FL
Diamond dealer

beat 231 - forbidden

"Her parents don't know we are together. Her culture wouldn't allow it so we have to hide. But we have been together for over a year and my family knows her very well and they welcomed her into our home and family from the beginning. There's no one I love more than her and I just wish her family knew this and accepted me."
-Todd, NYC
student at NYU


"I came to school here and met Todd the first day of class. I stay here for all of college because of him. My dad thinks it's because of my major. If I don't marry Korean my parents will be very angry. They warned me about American men because my mother says they are aggressive and disrespect girls. That is not true. I feel very loved by him and my heart is always happy because of it."
-Hana, Korea now living in NYC
student at NYU


"Me, too. I love her with all my heart. As cheesy as it sounds, it's the truth."
-Todd

beat 230 - altered

"I have a best friend from when I was little, we were born the same day and our parents are friends. He has a child around the same age as [my son] Carlo, he told me people always said to him that having a child will be the best day of your life. But he told me, just wait, it truly is the best day. You never think it's true. And then it happens, and it's true. It's the best day, being a father completely changes your perspective on life and love."


-Francois De Poortere, Brooklyn, NY
art dealer and father to 5 month old, Carlo

beat 229 - insightful

"El corazon tiene ojos de los cuales el cerebro no sabe nada"


The heart has eyes which the mind knows nothing of...


I love this quote. The gem was given to me by un hombre sabio cubano de edad, when I was soul searching. It really speaks volumes to me because I have a big heavy heart and I rely on my heart to guide me through the road less traveled."


-Tony Everett, New York City
Marketing at H&M

beat 228 - continuous

"My heart is open. Loves big. Loyal. More sensitive than it appears. Loves honestly and deeply. Loves to dance and loves to laugh. Makes space for the new and holds on to the old. Has more love to give. Forgives. Will never be without seams, but that's what makes it wiser and warmer."


-Marni Golden, NYC
Editorial Director, Starworks NYC, writer, blogger, The Indulgent New York

beat 227 - distant

"I am in love. I've been in love for 20 something years. It's painful, but it's ok because it's real love. She lives far away, in Pakistan. The last time I saw her was two years ago, maybe next year I see her again. Maybe. One day she's going to be here. You hope for the best with love. You know. Believe. That's it. It's love."


-Umar Awan, Queens, NY
Taxi driver

beat 226 - shielded

"My heart is well guarded, and still yet to be pried open. I have seen glimpses of what is possible. I always give a piece of it, just never the majority stakeholder. That is frightening..."


-Nabil Elderkin, LA, CA
Director, photographer

beat 225 - Mayan

"My heart has grown harder after living in the NYC area for so many years. The "time is money" attitude seems to fight what my heart is really looking for...peace, simplicity, happiness, which of course it's had plenty of living in such a wonderful city. But the concrete jungle doesn't complete me. Foreign travel, indulging in food passed down from generations past, breathing in the crisp fall air, or enjoying a glass of wine and watching the sunset from my balcony; that is when my heart is truly content...connected. I often wonder if in my heart lives the spirit of my Mayan ancestors who respected nature and worshipped the gods that watched over it. I'm sure an old soul lives there in my heart and is searching for it's place in the present. 
Loving life and it's journey!"


-Janna Narke, NJ
personal trainer

beat 224 - directed

"Its deceived me, its led me, its denied me, its compelled me, its hurt me, its made me vulnerable, its made me strong, its made me lie, its made me cry, it hurts, it's powerful and it's mine, it has so much to say, it has so much to hide; it's my heart."


-Michael Zakrzewski, Brooklyn, NY
PR, Topman 

beat 223 - transitional

"In my heart I believe I'm a woman despite what the other parts of me show. My heart knows that the haters are jealous and the lovers are understanding. My heart feels free in this city to do what it pleases, to be whomever it wants. Girl, boy, mixed, as long as I'm a lover."

-Lela Daily, New York City

dancer

beat 222 - limbo

"My heart hurts. But it's still beating. I check it every morning and breathe, it skips a beat. But it's ok. It's still pumping. I guess I'm happy for that. Someday it will be consistent. Til then that's how I feel."


-Curtis Kulig, New York City
artist, of "love me" fame

beat 221 - baffled

"I don't understand the question. No really, I don't understand the question...don't you know I'm British?
I don't have the capacity for that kind of introspection.
My heart is a vessel that if it stops, I will a few seconds later."


-John Oliver, New York
writer/actor/comedian, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

beat 220 - cognizant

"I wear my heart on my sleeve, unfortunately. It's a problem because you can get your heart broken that way. It can be judged, loved or hated. And sadly that's not a good thing all the time."


-Aprell Lemon, Bronx, NY
fashion entrepreneur 

beat 219 - blissful

"My heart is happy. Couldn't be happier right now. I made it."
-Rubin, Spain


"I agree. My heart could not feel happier today."
- Mohamed, Morocco


"Yes, the heart is feeling happy. And a little bit tired."
-Youssef, Morocco


all after the new york city marathon

beat 218 - active

"Complicated. Until it's simple."


-James Krisel, Los Angeles, CA
writer

beat 217 - gigantic

"My heart feels like it's as big as the whole world. I love love love everyone and everything."


-Eric Njapa, NYC
Men's Designer Sportswear at Saks Fifth Avenue

beat 216 - sagacity

"As with most of my life's wisdom, my heart-quote comes from my favorite movie, Miller's Crossing:


VERNA: Admit you don't like me seeing Leo because you're jealous. Admit that you've got a heart - even thought it may be small and feeble and you can't remember the last time you used it.


TOM: If i'd known we were going to cast our feelings into words I'd have memorized the Song of Solomon."


-Gil Roth, New Jersey
Editor

beat 215- planted

"Mon coeur est rempli de joie et d'amour pour les 2 plus belles personnes sur terre, nicole et Luca "l'ours".
Chaque jour est une decourverte pour mon coeur et il grandit pour et grace a mes 2 amours. Plus d'un an est passe et mon coeur a change et m'a montre des choses dont je ne la savais pas capable, il vibre avec les battements de mon fils, je ne l'avais jamais senti aussi present et vivant avant sa naissance.
mon coeur est fragile, vulnerable mais plus fort et heureux que jamais auparavant. Merci a vous deux."


-Max Falkenstein, NYC 
Art Dealer, Gladstone Gallery NYC and Brussels 

beat 214 - elevated

"My heart is happy for my children and my husband and the fact that I'm almost 6 months pregnant and still in 5 inch heels."


-Stacey Bendet Eisner, NYC
Founder/owner of Alice + Olivia

beat 213 - romantic

"My heart has been through a lot - it's been both broken and healed. It's a little wiser every day and constantly learning (thanks to my friends and family). And despite everything, it still has so much hope about love. It's not jaded, judgmental or untrusting. In fact, it's quite the opposite - sometimes I believe in love more than ever - hopelessly romantic, optimistic, maybe a little crazy. My heart keeps my life interesting and hopefully always will."


-Dawn, NYC
Accessory Queen