My world view

What a glorious beginning to a day. I power walked to the tip of Pier A Park, which as its name suggests is a park built on a pier that juts out into the Hudson River. The Manhattan skyline view is spectacular and you can see as far south as the Verrazano Bridge and as far north as the George Washington Bridge.

Today I was keenly aware that I was staring at the "entry" into our country even though Lady Liberty was just out of my sight. New York is so serene from that vantage point. Even surrounded by gray clouds and gray water, the city looked majestic. My MP3 player was piping Bobby Caldwell's version of Beyond The Sea into my ears and it all just felt spectacular.

At one point a young man stood at the southeast corner of the park staring at the lower end of Manhattan, where the World Trade Center towers used to be. Every time I see someone at that particular spot I wonder what that view means to them.

My trip to the "Conversation Among Masters" conference in Asheville is still washing over me. I've been playing it pretty close to the vest since I returned, as I don't think words do it justice. So this was also time to ponder that and let my mind wander to possibilities.

Once again, after nine years, I pinch myself to make sure it's real. I live here. I do.