Lightness of being
I remember an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie talks about having a date with her city, the ever fabulous New York. She gleefully takes herself to a movie at the Paris, to the Guggenheim, to a diner for some soup.
That is how I felt today, like I had a date with the city. I'm in Manhattan a lot and I usually enjoy it, truth be told. I love the rhythm of it, the endless possibilities, the array of languages, faces. But there was something about today that felt different. I walked out of church with a friend and, as we had different plans, I left her at the corner of 54th and Fifth and kept going south on Fifth.
I was very engaged, captivated by the simplest things. I bought a pretzel from a vendor and covered it in mustard, eating it with a smile on my face for blocks. As I stood on the corner near St. Patrick's Cathedral, another vendor smiled appreciatively when I complimented his choice of music -- when was the last time I heard the SOS Band singing, "Baby, you can do it, take your time, do it right, you can do it, baby. Do it, tonight?" I had to keep myself from really moving to the beat.
I could feel the bounce in my walk, my interaction with others, mostly men who seemed to pick up on the vibe. I was wearing my white Pumas with the black straps that I've been seeing all over New York. I had to have them and ever since buying them several weeks ago I've come to the conclusion they have almost the same effect on men as come-hither black pumps. Wow. It's like a phenomenon.
Later, as I sat with a cup of coffee and a book, the urge to write started washing over me in waves. I couldn't get home fast enough. I turned on the computer and started pounding out my thoughts. My fingernails were too long and were hindering my typing progress so I immediately went and cut them all off. How insane is that? How cool is that?
Maybe it was the mild weather. Maybe it was the Pumas. Maybe it was the usual rejuvenation I get from attending the church service. Maybe it was me letting greater forces work through me to produce lightness and space for my art.
Maybe I don't need to understand it at all, just be with it.
That is how I felt today, like I had a date with the city. I'm in Manhattan a lot and I usually enjoy it, truth be told. I love the rhythm of it, the endless possibilities, the array of languages, faces. But there was something about today that felt different. I walked out of church with a friend and, as we had different plans, I left her at the corner of 54th and Fifth and kept going south on Fifth.
I was very engaged, captivated by the simplest things. I bought a pretzel from a vendor and covered it in mustard, eating it with a smile on my face for blocks. As I stood on the corner near St. Patrick's Cathedral, another vendor smiled appreciatively when I complimented his choice of music -- when was the last time I heard the SOS Band singing, "Baby, you can do it, take your time, do it right, you can do it, baby. Do it, tonight?" I had to keep myself from really moving to the beat.
I could feel the bounce in my walk, my interaction with others, mostly men who seemed to pick up on the vibe. I was wearing my white Pumas with the black straps that I've been seeing all over New York. I had to have them and ever since buying them several weeks ago I've come to the conclusion they have almost the same effect on men as come-hither black pumps. Wow. It's like a phenomenon.
Later, as I sat with a cup of coffee and a book, the urge to write started washing over me in waves. I couldn't get home fast enough. I turned on the computer and started pounding out my thoughts. My fingernails were too long and were hindering my typing progress so I immediately went and cut them all off. How insane is that? How cool is that?
Maybe it was the mild weather. Maybe it was the Pumas. Maybe it was the usual rejuvenation I get from attending the church service. Maybe it was me letting greater forces work through me to produce lightness and space for my art.
Maybe I don't need to understand it at all, just be with it.
posted by Nancy Colasurdo | 9:09 PM
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