Talking to a United pilot at O'Hare changed how I look at moving here

I was stuck at O'Hare waiting for a delayed flight back to visit family, and I ended up sitting next to this pilot who was deadheading to his base in Chicago. We got to talking about why I was moving here, and he said something like "Everyone comes for the job, but they stay because the city makes them feel like they belong somewhere." That hit me harder than any of the 50 YouTube videos I watched about neighborhoods. He told me he moved here from Phoenix 12 years ago with a 2 week trial at the airline, and now he owns a place in Logan Square and can't picture leaving. I kept thinking about how all my research was about rent prices and commute times, but nobody told me about the random conversations you'll have with strangers that make you feel rooted. Has anyone else had a moment like that where a random person gave you more clarity than all the spreadsheets?