NYC daytime
NYC night
It's a sunny afternoon in New York City, and I am sitting in a highrise apartment with Freedom Tower to my left and the Brooklyn Bridge to my right. The view is awesome. Not in the Robert Pattinson/KrispyKreme Doughnut/perfect hair day sense of "awesome." In the real sense of the word -- I am in awe. From up here, it is peaceful, serene. Concrete and steel dominate the landscape, and those are not elements that naturally fill up my soul. I need nature, anything green and growing, water, mountains. But yet, my attention is captured, and I can't take my eyes off this sprawling expanse. I think it's because every window, every bridge, every street, every siren, represents a story--countless stories. How did their journeys all converge here? I would love to meet them and hear their stories firsthand.
Last night I was struck in a different way as I took in the sights from my vantage point up here in the clouds. The city was electric--literally. Unbroken strands of tail-lights adorned the Brooklyn Bridge like lights on a Christmas tree, while the network of a million glowing buildings lighting up the night sky gave testament to the moniker "the city that doesn't sleep." And so, I couldn't sleep. The lights seemed to call my name. There was so much happening out there, how on earth could I just go to bed and not join the party? My aversion to freezing cold temperature and the reality of that morning's red-eye flight from California prevailed, and I eventually gave up and crawled into bed, which overlooks the Brooklyn Bridge.
I said to my husband, "I think if I lived here, I would be manic." Left to my own devices, I would stay up until 1 every morning and sleep until 9. I love lights, dancing, great food, people watching, new adventures, movement--this city is made for me!
Today I've been able to sit in a quiet space and take in this amazing view. I am reminded how complicated we are--how complicated I am. I LOVE the night life, but I can't sustain myself on it. The quiet places are where I am rejuvenated and filled up. God is so good to allow us such a breadth of experiences to enjoy in this life and at the same time to let us know what we just "want" and what we really "need" so we can balance the two in a healthy way.
That said...the night is on its way. Get ready NYC!!!!!
