As I walked barefoot on the grass early this morning to ground my body – another health tip amongst a million tips that I have had the time to find- I felt the beautiful moisture travel up my tired feet and legs and was so grateful. I had walked almost 6 miles in Manhattan yesterday as we enjoyed Tribeca with my daughter Sonia and her family. I was very proud to have walked 6 miles again, after a whole year of very limited walking due to heel pain and several false diagnoses by podiatrists, chiropractors, etc. I am grateful to Dr. Zafar Jamil, leader of the NJ Wanderers Club, who diagnosed it correctly as a neuroma, and now I am on the right path of healing! He also waived by rejoining fees for the Club!
Our daughter Mona is away in Hawaii with her family, so we took advantage of her Tribeca apartment to use it as a base for our multiple outings. Normally, we gather as a family in the apartment, and don’t want to leave so we can stay together. But as it was only five of us, we used it more as a refreshment base, and walked all over. Even at 5000 miles away, Mona offered to have some items delivered from Whole Foods, and we were so touched by her sweetness! Our granddaughter Nyla got to play in several water parks near the Hudson River, and we walked around to get a feel of the World Financial District as summer winds down, and anxiety for the Delta variant hovers in the air. Eataly, one of our favorite food and coffee places was already closed by 7pm, and even the Occolus was lighter traffic than normal. There was a Beer Garden that has opened near Occulus, which looked tempting and fun. And of course, the Hudson River Walkway continues to be beautified with new piers and activities. It could be that most Manhattanites are away in August, and tourists are not allowed from all countries. However, the charm of gleaming skyscrapers surrounding the European charm of Tribeca’s brownstones and renovated lofts including cobblestone streets was mesmerizing, and once again made me understand my daughter Mona’s boundless love for Tribeca. And as the sun began to set, the colors and reflections on the buildings reminded me how even here in the most overdeveloped city in the world- a marvel of human beings’ architectural and cultural creativity- the sun adds such beauty as it says good night.
Any visit to Manhattan is an opportunity for me to relive my experiences there over the last 50 years, and I am sure my kids are tired of my reminiscences as a corporate warrior/working mother in IT on Wall Street, studying Computer Science at NYU at night, and later on coming into Manhattan every weekend practically, as all four kids were living up and down East Side, from Mount Sinai to NYU student apartments to Lower East Side. I used to joke that I would drive in with food for each, and offer laundry services on the drive out. Now as a grandparent, it is even more fun to see how they love the city just as we do! Unlike many suburban folks, I never complain about Manhattan and its traffic. The diversity, innovation and eclectic nature of this City is worth it with some exceptions: I remember recently Mona sat at Holland Tunnel for 1 hour before getting through! We called Shahid’s brother-in-law Mumtaz who has retired in Austin, Texas on the way in and his first question was: where will you park? I feel like I have the parking fairy on my side- my husband and I often luck out with free parking despite ever-increasing construction and restrictions! Of course, I am always grateful to be back on my deck in NJ with laptop or book in my lap to relish the country feeling with the sound of the leaves rustling in the breeze and birds chirping. I worship nature as it nourishes us all and these days, we must do everything in our power to protect it for our future generations. Even as we build gleaming cities and suburbia, we must balance ecology and development.
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