New York City
I have been to New York City precisely once in my life. I was only there one day, so some people might claim I haven't REALLY been to NYC.
Their arguments probably have some merit, but I loved that day spent in the city. My sister suggested the trip, and we explored New York together. At the time, she was in graduate school in Delaware. I was living just outside of Philadelphia so that I could attend optometry school. She drove up to collect me at my apartment before we headed to a train stop in New Jersey. From there, we took the train into the city.
I believe my sister had previously been to New York, but we mostly navigated our journey together. We saw Times Square up close and the Statue of Liberty from afar. We peeked through the fence to see the progress at the World Trade Center site. We took a picture of Alexander Hamilton's grave (because I thought he was cool before the musical said he was cool). I tried margherita pizza for the first time, and it is now my favorite kind of pizza. I believe we also had a pretzel from a street vendor, but I don't recall the quality of that food. We got caught in rain and wind that was so bad, our umbrella broke.
With everything we saw and did, however, what really stands out to me is the quality time I spent with my sister. We had some very open, deep conversations. We were both going through difficult periods. On my end, I had just made the decision to leave optometry school. I was dealing with concern for my future and fear that I had disappointed people. I also realized I had to more seriously address my anxiety.
I'm not going to speak for my sister, but on that day, I didn't have any baggage along for the trip. I didn't have any clue what the future held for me, and anything I had accomplished in the past didn't matter right then. I didn't have to act any part because I didn't have a role to play at that moment. I was just a person spending time with her sister. I suppose I was honest about my feelings, but I also had the chance to enjoy our trip without worrying about school or any other responsibilities. In popular terms, I was "fully present" for the experience.
When we left NYC, we went back to my apartment. My sister spent the night, and we ate breakfast at IHOP the next morning before she left. I got married the next summer, and a stream of jobs, moves, and family changes followed for each of us. I haven't spent quality time with her like that since the trip. Truthfully, while I have had great moments with friends and family members alike, I haven't been as present for them as I was for the trip to New York. The responsibilities of house, husband, kids, and job are always in the background. Time spent on one area of my life feels like time taken away from another area.
We all have to find balance in our lives. I know I personally have to improve upon living in the moment while responsibly taking care of the future. All those years ago, though, in the midst of a very difficult part of my life, I was gifted with a beautiful moment. I may have only spent one day in the city, but I was fully absorbing every moment while I was there.
Their arguments probably have some merit, but I loved that day spent in the city. My sister suggested the trip, and we explored New York together. At the time, she was in graduate school in Delaware. I was living just outside of Philadelphia so that I could attend optometry school. She drove up to collect me at my apartment before we headed to a train stop in New Jersey. From there, we took the train into the city.
I believe my sister had previously been to New York, but we mostly navigated our journey together. We saw Times Square up close and the Statue of Liberty from afar. We peeked through the fence to see the progress at the World Trade Center site. We took a picture of Alexander Hamilton's grave (because I thought he was cool before the musical said he was cool). I tried margherita pizza for the first time, and it is now my favorite kind of pizza. I believe we also had a pretzel from a street vendor, but I don't recall the quality of that food. We got caught in rain and wind that was so bad, our umbrella broke.
With everything we saw and did, however, what really stands out to me is the quality time I spent with my sister. We had some very open, deep conversations. We were both going through difficult periods. On my end, I had just made the decision to leave optometry school. I was dealing with concern for my future and fear that I had disappointed people. I also realized I had to more seriously address my anxiety.
I'm not going to speak for my sister, but on that day, I didn't have any baggage along for the trip. I didn't have any clue what the future held for me, and anything I had accomplished in the past didn't matter right then. I didn't have to act any part because I didn't have a role to play at that moment. I was just a person spending time with her sister. I suppose I was honest about my feelings, but I also had the chance to enjoy our trip without worrying about school or any other responsibilities. In popular terms, I was "fully present" for the experience.
When we left NYC, we went back to my apartment. My sister spent the night, and we ate breakfast at IHOP the next morning before she left. I got married the next summer, and a stream of jobs, moves, and family changes followed for each of us. I haven't spent quality time with her like that since the trip. Truthfully, while I have had great moments with friends and family members alike, I haven't been as present for them as I was for the trip to New York. The responsibilities of house, husband, kids, and job are always in the background. Time spent on one area of my life feels like time taken away from another area.
We all have to find balance in our lives. I know I personally have to improve upon living in the moment while responsibly taking care of the future. All those years ago, though, in the midst of a very difficult part of my life, I was gifted with a beautiful moment. I may have only spent one day in the city, but I was fully absorbing every moment while I was there.
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