Here is the trouble with a daily blog in the city that never sleeps. When you become wrapped up in all it has to offer and the opportunities at hand...you fall prey to the idea that life and New York will always be here. I am not promised tomorrow.
So out goes Scarlett O'hara and her idea of not worrying about today. Fiddle-dee-de. When we open our eyes, it's all we are guaranteed.
So today, I froze my butt off in pursuit with the idea that today could be the best or my last day.
Met an absolutely amazing friend from my past today on Spring and Mott to discuss "my future" at an apropos named Gimme Coffee! He was running late so I sat on a bench in 25 degree weather and soul searched with a pure coffee drinker Peter about why he fears so much in this life. For example, falling out his second floor window while he is sleeping.
I asked him why he could be afraid of such an absurd thing. He took his walkman (not kidding)earphones out and told me it was because he was kind of a Christian...he's 42 and has no idea what he is supposed to be doing in this lifetime and he feared when it would end or when it would not...how would he spend his lifetime or what had he accomplished if it was over tomorrow? Why can't he just be in the afterlife now? And is it worth waiting for?
Wow...I would like to give you my "religous rebuttal" but he didn't pause for that....
Mind you, the conversation wasn't so deep, we did discuss Axl Rose lyrics and what made him the iconic angry rock star....just a little patience, yeah uh yeah.
All over a cup of beans and hot water. CRAZY Circumstance. But yet, it made me question today...
Later, I had tea with a friend at dusk who lives on the 21st floor of a downtown apartment building. The Empire State Building is the focal point of his view and as the sun was setting at 6pm we took in our glorious fantastic ball of energy and golden light setting on just one small island in our great big world, to us it was a background to the beginning of our night in the city and many sunsets to come but to our creator, just another blip of our self indulgence.
"On a good day we can part the sea and on a bad day, glory beyond our reach." C. Robinson
An impromptu dinner tonight in the Financial District of NY with family and a new friend made me think a lot about love and living in the present moment. They were up from Georgia, here on a whim. A 3rd date to be exact and they were going for it; Saying yes to life and Manhattan was their adventure at hand, a quick flight, and their time today together. Sitting across from them over a second bottle of creamy pinot,I was so moved by the spontaneity that both accepted to indulge in this day, this time on January 24th, 2009. They chose to embrace the best of themselves and the better part of today. I applauded that and told them so.
For the longest time I've been slowly moving through my life in Atlanta along with inertia, without thinking creatively outside the box, pursuing my dreams, and reaching further and taller. With this move, all that changed. We have but just one life. One short blessed lifetime that appears and can vanish in the mist. It should be lived, loved, embraced. conquered, challenged, rocked, and questioned to the fiber of who we are. Today is the day. Stay Gold Ponyboy, I'm living big.
Are you making the most of your God given day?
"When we open our eyes, it's all we are guaranteed." You are so true in that statement.As human beings, we take so much for granted. It is truly sad. Excellent blog Freedom of Peach! I will follow you for more post.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
CLAY
M.IV