It’s 3:41 a.m. and, after countless attempts to sleep, I the perfect time to write.
I recently took a delicious 3 day trip to NYC, the happiest place on Earth. Whoever used this tagline for Disney World was seriously mistaken. Roaming the city is the most exhilarating feeling in the world; in a city like New York, it seems anything is possible. The happiest version of me can be found on the corner of 5th and 57th.
Upon returning from the ‘Over the Top’ to ‘Rocky Top’, I had to ask myself, “Am I living in the here and now?” With my mind, and quite frankly my heart, still in the Big Apple, am I truly savoring each moment and living my life to the fullest? This realization was brought to my attention by an older pilot I met at dinner in the city. As we were admiring Times Square out the windows of a swanky new sushi bar, he turned to me and said, “This… is life. The city just exudes energy.” Ecstatic that I had met a fellow Manhattan lover, I began to divulge my dream of living and working on the island and eventually ended the spiel with an unhappy remark about having to leave the city for the humdrum of school the next day.
His response was one I’ll never forget. He looked me dead in the eyes and smiled. “If there’s one piece of wisdom I can give you, it’s to always cherish each moment. No matter where you are, be there. Live your life in the moment; you’re here now. You never know what will happen, you may never be back here again.” I turned to the window, took a deep breath, and tried to take a mental snapshot – of the sights, sounds, feelings and emotions of being in the most wonderful spot in the world: a seat in Blue Fin on Times Square. His words were true – our days and moments are numbered; there is no time like the present.
So, my New Years resolution consists of living 2011 to the fullest, and savoring each moment (as well as training for a half-marathon). I’m going to start by cutting back the “I wish I were in the city” remarks (as best I can). I intend to live my last semester of college to the fullest, with no regrets… just sheer happiness and contentedness.
the light at the end of the tunnell... 