Wednesday, March 31, 2010

New York, Je T'aime

Central Park Bridge #1
Looking west in Central Park

I spend a lot of time wishing for change.

Change in both the little things (like weather) and bigger things (like heart-ache).

Sometimes it's a short wait for that change I want.  Springtime weather is fickle, for instance; slosh through a few days of rain and you'll arrive at a few days of sun. 

But other changes make me wait...and wait...and wait. 

Sometimes I wonder if God isn't tired yet of hearing me ask, "How long, oh Lord, how long?"  (I ask him that every day.  Several times a day.  If he's tired of it, he hasn't told me, so I guess I'll keep asking.)

That kind of waiting can wear on a girl.  It's been wearing on this girl, anyways.

If I stay inside my head, sometimes change begins to seem incomprehensible.  I can't hardly imagine another reality than my present situation. 

But if I look around me, around this town, I see change everywhere.  There is movement.  There are comings and goings.  There are make-overs and renovations.  Trash becomes art. An empty lot becomes a garden.

Maybe this city's constant flux is a reminder for me that change happens.

Or maybe it's my consolation prize. I may keep waiting for certain changes, but other changes are happening all around me, mine to discover.  Right outside my front door.1

Either way, I appreciate this city for its ever-changing nature, its surprises, its secrets, its possibilities.

Just wanted to remind myself of that today.

Actually, GothamGirl reminded me of it first, when she wrote on her blog:
"You can walk the exact same street every day and see something different.
Every minute, every hour, every day is a movie scene."
It's true.  And it's awesome.  New York, je t'aime.


1 Literally. My super is renovating our lobby. Dust and dirt everywhere. A story for another time...

3 comments:

stephen said...

Soooooo, can you share any favorite bakeries that you have in this city that you love? Have you been to Levain?

I'm thinking of heading up to the city this weekend and I'm looking for suggestions for good eats.

That City Girl said...

really, really love this picture, kw. beautiful.

KristyWes said...

Stephen - sure thing! I just posted a review of some of my fave bakeries. Levain is definitely included.