Good morning, Tuesday. I'm home today but going into the city in a bit to run some holiday errands. Admittedly, I've been out of sorts- all of this change heaped on me at once is really challenging- everything from living on the first floor of a building (have never done that) to learning how to ignore my dog and not let him jump on the bed in the am (we are treating seperation anxiety is what we're doing). You could say the dog and I are going through it a little, but at least we're together. Both of us are wondering what's going on, but I suppose we'll get there. I am proud of my little boy because he's trying to figure it all out, and doing a pretty good job of it as we both try to process all of this change (David doesn't have time to do that- he's already working, working, working).
But last night I realized why I'm here. It's not just about getting the best chocolate almond croissants I have ever had (Bien Cuit down the street, better than Paris I kid you not) or being able to shop till I drop. It's about being able to take the dog for a stroll amidst some of the most beautiful architecture around- Brooklyn Heights is right next door and I forgot how moved I am every time I walk around there. The scale of these enormous brownstones, filled with light, ceilings high, and mouldings aplenty are a perfect backdrop for the holiday season and chilly evenings. I've told you before that I am indeed my father's daughter, and I need a sense of history around me (he loved history) to keep me grounded and give me a sense of place. I absolutely adore the charm and patina of old, and I am so happy (and lucky) to be surrounded by these gorgeous structures- they please me to no end. Give me your Gothic, Italianate, and Federal houses. I'll take 'em.
I have a friend in Miami Beach who posts pictures of the beach and sky early each morning, because that's what moves her. It moves me too- I love the beach but realize it is a cityscape that's the thing for me- the elegance of it, the stillness of it, the imagination that runs wild as I think about what life could be like living in such a place, or what the lives of the people who live in these brownstones are like. I love to peer in their windows and catch a glimpse of their lives. And that's really the thing- I need life around me. I like to do my own thing and be alone, sure, but life around me is a must, and these homes remind me that there is humanity everywhere, and it doesn't have to be stifling, smothering, or overpowering, as many perceive New York or city living to be. When I walk on the promenade in Brooklyn and view the city from afar, I feel small, huge, powerful, and humble all at once. I can't get enough of the scale of this city. And now I don't have to...
I hope you are all somewhere that gives you a sense of place, a sense of purpose, or a sense of peace. It's a tall order I know but just look up and see what you see, and I'll see what I'll see, and the world may just be a better place if all of us just take time to look around the places we call home. I'm home now, and although the change thing can be a bit of bear to deal with, when I look around me, it feels so right. Cause that's what's up this gazing up, down, and all around kind of Tuesday in the most beautiful city in the world. It's good to be home. All the love. XO