Monday, August 16, 2010

a daring adventure

 

“Life is either a

daring adventure

or nothing.”

– Helen Keller


Our dear neighbor Joyce hadn’t been to NYC since the 50’s, so for her birthday Heidi and I gave her a trip to NYC.  It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while and we finally pulled it off.  I think it’s up there with one of my favorite days ever.  I didn’t realize how nervous Joyce would be.  She told us that she was shaking in the car as we drove down.  She nearly died when I sent Heidi out into Times Square to see if we could get some show tickets.  And I had to beg her to get out of the car so I could take some pictures.  She seemed to be instantly won over though once she got out and stood in the middle of Times Square.  She started posing and some tour bus drivers (the guys in the red shirts) started whistling and yelling out “I like it!”  That got her going and suddenly she was Ms. New York. 

  There was something intensely beautiful about seeing her face her fears and seeing what joy came out of her when she did. 
I had also promised her a photo shoot for a while, so we took plenty of pictures.  I’m so glad we did.  I think she is radiant.
“Beauty appears when something is completely
and absolutely and openly itself.”
- Deena Metzger
“A day dawns, quite like other days; in it, a
single hour comes quite like other hours;
but in that day and in that hour the
chance of a lifetime faces us.”
- Maltbie Babcock

much in five minutes as in five years

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience
in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that
which we think we cannot.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
-8109 Our day was simple.  We drove.  We went to Times Square.  We ate pizza and caprese salad at Patsy’s.  We stopped for enormous cookies at Levain’s.  We walked through the Met.  We rested in the park.  We ate at a deli on the way home. By the end Joyce was pretty exhausted, but also so proud of herself and happy with life. 
The day made me realize how I’m still deeply in love with that city and what it can do to people. -8117
the past is lost.
-8118 -8171 -8174 -8215-8193 There is no place like it, no place with an atom of its glory, pride, and exultancy. It lays its hand upon a man's bowels; he grows drunk with ecstasy; he grows young and full of glory, he feels that he can never die.
-walt witman (on NYC)
-8203 -8208
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

-8226

RECALL AS OFTEN AS YOU WISH; A HAPPY
MEMORY NEVER WEARS OUT.
-Libby Fudim
-8237  
It was pretty spectacular to be in that city with those inspiring women.  
Thanks for taking care of things at home, Jeff.

5 comments:

  1. I think this is my favorite post of all time! Love the quotes, love seeing Joyce's emotions captured through your lens and love you!

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  2. Oh Saydi, you are so awesome. What a treasure you are, what a blessing in the lives of those who are fortunate to call you a friend. This post brought tears to my eyes. I love that you took the time to share your love of NYC with Joyce and helped her overcome her initial fears. You really know how to live life to the absolute fullest!

    ReplyDelete
  3. sayds you are rad. i want to be you when i grow up. i loved this post. i have to say my favourite part is how little you put the last sentence - a little note to jeff. dang you guys are awesome. miss you already. come to sf!

    ReplyDelete
  4. saydi- that is fantastic. you are amazing and amazing and really cool and happy and fun and wow i am glad you are my big sis. if i could just take after you a bit more!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kristin Valle11:29 PM

    What a wonderful day, Saydi!!

    And I love the quote about New York being so strong that you forget about the past -- have totally felt that.

    ReplyDelete

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