Expirating

“But I had come from out of town, and to me New York was a hive. You could not just live here. You had to be somebody, do something, it didn’t matter what. You were not a part of the city unless you were on a bus or a subway and on your way to an office or a factory or a schoolroom. How could you know New York if you had not bolted your lunch in a coffee shop or had not had your subway stall under the East River? You could not. The best way to know New York, to learn to love New York, was to let it wear you out.” -Mary Cantwell

Because I have allowed so much time to slip through my fingers without breaking to write about all of my "tips," I was forced to consult my handy calendar to remind myself just what all I've been doing these past few weeks. To say that I've been busy is an understatement! But that's okay with me... because when else will I be able to walk out of my apartment and be singing along to a Broadway musical in less than thirty minutes? When will I have the chance to sit and read a book under the oaks of the Grand Mall in Central Park? Odds are I probably will never cheer Joey Chestnut on to a First Place Trophy in the annual hot dog eating contest at Coney Island again. I most likely won't be eating Carvel Ice Cream out of a Yankees plastic baseball hat then turning around an hour later to find myself taking a picture of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" at the MoMA. And I certainly won't have the superlative world of shopping at my disposal once I leave from here. As exhaustive as these past couple of months have been, I can thankfully say I will leave New York with no regrets, and no taking for granted any of the advantages this city has to offer. 

My parents came to visit me over the weekend leading up to the Fourth of July. I can't describe just how excited I was that they were taking time out of their busy schedules and coming up only to see ME! No siblings, no relatives, no work, no grandchildren (ahem). I'm blessed to have been born into such a huge family, but center-of-attention time has been cut into fourths, sixths, and now sevenths with the arrival of "the favorite" of the family, Connor. And rightfully so. But to have three days of "only child"-like attention was anxiously anticipated. I'm sure they would have loved to fly up to New York and relax on their break from the real world, but I wasn't cutting my parents any slack: we were subwaying, taxiing, and running rampantly all over the five burroughs. I wanted to be certain they left New York more exhausted than they had been when they first arrived after a hard week's work. 

Having visited New York several times throughout the years, my parents forewent the frivolous touristy sights and left all of the planning of their trip up to me- though it pained my mom to be out of control for once. For Mark and Linda, this trip was practically like seeing a new city altogether: we hung out in areas they'd never ventured through, ate in restaurants they'd never passed by, stayed in a hotel that wasn't (thank goodness) in Times Square, and even sacrificed mass at the famous St. Patrick's Cathedral for a more local, but equally beautiful, option. 
Although I'm convinced that I was made for the only child lifestyle, I knew this kind of attention would not last. Since I realized ahead of time that I would most likely not be in such a situation again, I made sure to plan each hour wisely. We had a great time together, and I miss my wonderful parents already!


Besides my parents' visit, I have been scuttling all over this city: crossing things off my to-do list, meeting up with friends, taking writing classes, entertaining visitors, and- oh yeah- working. It's amazing what you can accomplish in twenty-four hours when you don't have a television and are not laying out at the beach all day (these would be my usual summer preferences). 

One of the highlights of my recent adventures includes a night at Lincoln Center- last night, actually- with Danielle who came to visit me for the weekend. We watched the last performance of The Sleeping Beauty by the American Ballet Theater, and I cannot believe that I've never been to a ballet before. I enjoyed all of the music, costumes, and dancing- even if I had to ask Danielle to interpret the actual story at each pause and during the intermission. It amazes me, that these performers are able to tell a whole story without even saying one word. It forced me to think of how many people I pass in a day and just how infinitely large of an opportunity I have to leave an impression or brighten their day without even saying a word. No, I probably won't be given a standing ovation for giving up my seat in the subway, nor will I receive a round of applause for holding open a door, but little wordless acts of kindness are the very first type to be thrown out when I'm having a bad day.  

As I walked toward the check out line at the grocery store this evening, I became pitifully aware of how envious I am of my milk carton; its expiration date far outlasts my departure from this place. Though I look forward to my being back with friends, family, and everything I consider familiar, I know that leaving New York will prove just as difficult as leaving South Carolina was back on May 1st. I wish I were staying longer for the exact reasonings that wear me out day after day. Two weeks and counting until I fly back home.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish,  so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:10-11