Tag Archives: New York

New York

One by One

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This has been a week of a lot of change. Change is always hard, whether it goes as planned or not. This has been a week of new situations, new decisions, and new choices. None of this is easy. New things are rarely easy.

But things get better.

I’m beginning to like New York, which has surprised me. I didn’t know if I would. New York might be big, loud, and fast, but it also has a lot of beauty to offer. I wasn’t expecting that. For example:

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Cathedral of Saint John the Divine

The unexpected has been a welcome distraction. So has this cat, who I met when helping a friend move into her new apartment:

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Moments of laughter have been a relief.

As hard as I’m trying to put one foot in front of the other, I have fallen more than once. It’s times like this that leave me overwhelmed with gratitude for friends all over the world. This week has reminded me that it’s okay to hurt, cry, and feel. It’s okay to be afraid and to reach out to those who love me.

I am not in this alone. This I know.

There have been moments that have taken my breath away in both positive and negative ways. Here was a good moment and I wasn’t the only one taking pictures:

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View of the Chrysler Building from 15th Street

Change is a process. It’s about taking life one step at a time and one day at a time. It’s about balancing each task as it arises so as not to be overwhelmed by the big picture.

This journey is not about looking backwards. It’s about acknowledging the past for what it is and moving forwards to be better each day. It’s about learning from the past and growing better for the future. I have a lot of figuring out to do, which is scary. I’m grateful to those who have promised to hold my hand along the way.

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Inspirational signs line 110th Street on the Upper West Side

I’m telling myself that it’s okay to move slowly in the fastest place I’ve ever been. It’s okay to be uncertain. Today was one day and tomorrow will be another. Days will pass. Change will get easier.

This I know.

 

 

New York

Beginning Again

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It has been quite the week!

On Monday, Mitch and I drove a U-Haul the six hours from Rochester to Manhattan. More accurately, whole truth be told, Mitch drove while I fiddled with the radio dial. Since Monday night, I’ve been heavily involved with cleaning, unpacking, and organizing our Upper East Side apartment. I’ve explored a bit, ventured to my new school (the commute is about 1.5 hours each way and involves subway, train, and taxi so it’s really quite the trek), gotten lost on multiple morning runs in Central Park, and tried to figure out the grocery store thing.

The stereotypes about New York City are true – it’s big and loud and fast. It’s also efficient, exciting, and the most diverse place I’ve ever been. I have heard so many languages that I can’t place, passed dozens of what would be considered niche restaurants anywhere but here, stumbled upon a pop-up vintage store, and wandered through a university campus. I’ve watched people of all walks of life go about all sorts of daily business. For the first time, I completely understand what drew the Humans of New York guy into asking for stories!

In perfect honesty, I’m glad that I’m not navigating this city on my own. I’m a tad embarrassed to be feeling somewhat intimidated, but I am. There’s a lot that I don’t know and most of it hadn’t even occurred to me. For example:

  • There are keys to the garbage and recycling receptacles in front of our building.
  • You have to tie your cardboard with string before you can put it on the curb.
  • There are more ride services in this country than just Uber and Lyft.
  • Grocery stores have elevators and escalators.
  • Everyone is constantly in a rush and annoyed when you aren’t.
  • Dog walking is a real job.

I’ve taken to wearing sunglasses even when I don’t need them just to hide what I’m sure is a constant deer-in-the-headlights look.

And then I saw a bit of graffiti when I was walking between the East Village and Soho. (Note to self: Learn the neighborhoods to avoid referencing maps while blogging.)

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I stopped for a picture because this was my first reminder that people are what make up New York. There’s heart here that might be hidden in the hustle and bustle and flurry of activity, but it’s here. People move fast to make a decent living in a world that moves fast and has come to demand that speed. (I don’t necessarily agree with a life or a world like that, but that’s a post for another time.)

New York is just a city. It’s a city of people who want what people everywhere want. People want to be happy, healthy, and loved no matter where they are. No matter who they are.

As big as it is, as overwhelming as it might feel, New York is just a home for about 8.5 million people. And people are just people, wherever you go.

 

New York

Weekend Snaps

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Just a few photos from this past weekend in New York City, mostly to drum up excitement about a new blog feature that I’ll be starting when I move in August.

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And that blog feature, lovely readers, is going to be a series of posts that chronicle my explorations of various neighborhoods and sections of New York City. I’m thinking about “A Day in . . .” as the running title. While I’m sure that there are many blogs that already do that, I’m looking forward to continuing to work on my photography skills (it’s probably time to invest in a new camera and a book I spotted at The Strand) and to having a plausible excuse to look like a tourist.

As always, any and all advice, particularly in the realm of photography, is welcomed and appreciated!