New York City and New Jersey
Violence and Sadness in my City

A New Day - A New Dawn of Hope

   For many years I worked in Manhattan. I drove every day to the city, and felt I knew its highways, bridges, tunnels, streets, neighborhoods. East Side, West Side, Uptown, Downtown. It would take me six weeks to go through the entire city and to see every client. And it meant walking from a parking garage to many offices.
   And in doing so, in and amongst the traffic and the people, and the buildings and the weather and seasons, I felt I knew the pulse of the city. Varying times of the day would be different. Morning was the brightest light and the freshest. By noon or 1 pm things would shift. By 3 p.m. the light begins to wane and things shift to people leaving the city in a mass exodus to points north, east or west to the suburbs. Nighttime was very different. Darkness of course would descend, but it is true that the city never sleeps. There are bright lights and people walking every where throughout the night, whether it be to go to restaurants or movies or plays. People constantly on the move.
   I had decided a long time ago that in order to survive in the frantic pace of the city I had to imagine the flow of life in the city like a river, and that while I was there to go with the flow of that river, rather than fighting it. I am not a city girl, and I was always glad to go home at night to my own house in suburbia.
   One thing I used to do was attend lectures and classes in the evenings, on all kinds of topics, and to meet all kinds of interesting and wonderful people, all as unique as the city itself. For awhile I traveled to 39th Street off of Park Avenue at a tiny place called the Kittredge Club that was rented out for these lectures. What a magical time for me.
   But things change, and later I went to lectures on West 29th Street for a few years. I'd hear all kinds of wonderful stories and learn about life, much of which I have been able to incorporate into my own life, and then make into articles such as those I write here on this blog. And later on I attended lectures somewhere near 22nd Street as well, until my days in Manhattan became few and far between.

   Last weekend on September 17th I was dismayed and saddened to hear of a bomb exploding in Chelsea, on 23rd Street. Some people were injured, buildings destroyed, lives shattered. And yet it was only 6 blocks from where I had some of my happiest days in New York City, as well as only about 2 blocks from where I also met with friends.
   On the same day, there was a bomb in New Jersey, not so very far away.
   It was sad to know that violence and hatred seems to be spreading like a virus everywhere. What can one do about it. Except live a good life and keep the memories of what you hold dear.
   And my condolences go out to those who were directly affected. Not only here on this side of the globe, but around the world. For aren't we all connected somehow someway? I would like to think so. We are all humans, all trying our best in our lives.

   I do not have answers, but I can think and feel and live and love and always try to do the right thing.
   And pray for peace.

Be well and safe,
Maery