So I had a blast on my trip to NY. This was the first vacation I've had since 2003, and it was also my and Zahyon's first official vacation together. I know she had a blast. She, as well as myself, got to meet family that we had never seen before, yet we interacted as though we'd known each other all of our lives. I'm looking forward to planning our next trip together. My baby girl is GOOD company. There is so much culture in Brooklyn alone, that I was truly intrigued and excited by the daily ventures of us walking down the block and hearing reggae music blasting on the corner. I loved the fact that I "blended in". My locs, and head wraps did not attract the strange looks that I'm used to in South. The multitude of accents, had me guessing if I could decipher what country the individual was from. I mean to be able to walk half a block and buy a roti or doubles without having to call in an order was foreign to me. Never would I experience that in dip chewing, cow herding, boots wearing Tejas. There is access to any and everything you might imagine needing. In some ways that is good, other ways not so much. Even though, I am not a fan of shopping, being in NY made me WANT to shop. I mean, there was SO much cute clothes, shoes, handbags. FOR CHEAP! I wanted to buy, buy, buy and buy some more. I was truly THE tourist, and THE consumer. I'll chop up my return home broke as a realllll good time shopping in NY . Aside from the culture, the other thing that really stood out to me was how fast paced the place is. Everybody from grannys to babies is in a rush. And you better keep up with the pace, or get knocked down. Even the style of dress and the manner in which NY residents speak, seems on edge. Some might call it edgy, but I experienced a few conversations in which by the end, I wasn't exactly sure, if I had just been had. I gave it the moniker, "Hustle Talk". Anyway, considering, we did so much fast paced walking, I am convinced I lost a few pounds, inches, and gained some tone to my calves to boot. Trust, I'm not complaining about that. But this
On another note, I think the highlight of my trip was going to Prospect Park with my cousin. Every Sunday in the summers various drummers and musicians from all parts of the city join and play their instruments. The thing that tripped me out, is that some of these musicians don't know even each other, and the music played is not planned. But the inner-g was so united. Imagine a million plus different heartbeats all coming in unison and beating as one. BEAUTIFUL. People danced in the drum circle and whether their movements and bodily contorts were drug induced or not, it is clear that these folks were taken to a different dimension by the music that caressed the winds in the park. I, too, felt connected to strangers and I felt the MOST human I've ever felt in my life. Ironically, Prospect Park was a stark contrast to the rush of everything occurring outside of the park. The drummers, the dancers, and other attendees were not in a rush to go, do, say anything. They simply were. And I was. I already knew that music was universal, but I also came to the conclusion that the very nature and desire for huemankind to just BE is universal as well. The ability to submit all will, stress, and anxiety to a higher power and let go of control by slowing down and accepting what is, has become a challenge to most simply because of life's daily demands. I'm starting with myself though, because I yearn to experience that feeling that I had at Prospect Park in my daily life. During those moments at the park, everybody had mastered the art of just being.
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