“Adventures don’t begin until you get into the forest. That first step in an act of faith.” Mickey Hart
That first step was over a week ago now, when I discovered in passing that a friend, a blogger friend would be visiting from her home state to NYC. I could not pass up the chance of meeting with her when she would be 2 hours away, by car, train or bus. We made arrangements to meet once she got into the city and knew what her plans would be. I made my plans, the Chinatown bus was the lest expensive way of travel, even through I did not know my way from Chinatown once in the city, google direction were looked up, so I had a plan, my intentions were set, attention to the making this intention a reality was put into place.
Oy Vey! What was I thinking? I hardly slept the during the night, because I wanted to make sure I work up in time. 5:30 am rolled around, an early morning walk with the dogs, a cup of coffee and some breakfast, heck if I know what that was. Checking emails, Facebook for any changes in plans, made sure I had my list, phone #, etc. I had an 8 am bus to catch in Philly… I made it with ten minutes to spare, time to grab a cup of coffee at Wawa and a Tasty Cake. On to the bus, second seat for the back, most of all the other seats where full. Almost as soon as the bus began the young lady behind me got on her phone and began chatting with her girl friend about things I did not need to know at 8 am in the morning. It is amazing how people are so unconscious of what they are sharing in public. The conversation went on for some time, finally she said she was going to get some sleep… and that she did.
I tried too to get some sleep but sleep was not my friend, maybe a little Reiki and mediation but my mind was chattering away, so I wrote in my journal, yes people I still use a pen and paper sometimes. I had nothing really to share there just emptying my mind. The bus trip was uneventful, it began to rain, and misted the rest of the day. We entered NYC via the Holland Tunnel into an area of the city I do not recall seeing before, the west end of the city. Well the bus lets us off in the middle of Chinatown at 10 am, I have to find the F train, (subway) when I was really looking for the 6, when I got to the station, none of the ticket machines were taking cash, so up to the street to find the 6. The Chinese people where no help, I ask a young father, walking his baby, he got our his smart phone, which offered all the directions I needed. I would have to walk a while but not to far.. about 6 blocks. I realized it was getting to the time that we were to meet, so I made the call, informing Kathy that I was in the city and looking for my train, and should be there in the next half hour. If it had not been raining I would have been taking photographs and I would not have notice the walk so much but it seem to take forever.
Off to 27th street and 5th Avenue and the Gershwin Hotel , imagine meeting a person I never met at a hotel in the city of New York City! What kind of guy does she think I am? What kind of lady is she to meet a stranger in a hotel? Not to worry it was all very innocent people, Kiah, her daughter was working her last shift in the lobby coffee shop “Birch” so Kathy was hanging out there, with books and laptop and as much coffee as she could consume.
The Gershwin is this red building with strange art hanging from it exterior which look like sperm, and how fitting since it is right next to the Museum of Sex which on the corner. Into the lobby and looked into the coffee shop, I saw no Kathy. I called, she said she would be right there. In seconds she came through a doorway into the lobby and we laid eyes on each other for the first time in real life, of course we have been sharing photos or our blogs for some time, so there was not shock of difference. We where greeting each other with hugs, than to get coffee and to meet Kaih, who is a sweet young lady, who ask about my journey and created us our coffees.
Kathy and I adjourned upstairs of the coffee shop “library” which was a balcony over looking the lobby and shop filled with books, tables occupied with young people enjoying their beverages, while on laptops or with books, and friends, walls adorned with Photographs which I did not notice at first because Kathy and I were getting comfortable on a large sofa, asking each other questions, filling in the gaps of things we didn’t know or remember about each other. It seemed like we had been friends for years, getting renewing our friendship. It was warm, comfortable, welcoming, as I knew it would be. Kathy had ask me about meeting people who we know via computer, and my comment was, that I think because most of the people I have met are people from groups with a more spiritual or growth oriented purpose, the experience is real, if the people are being authentic, than they will be what I expect them to be. The meeting only to deepen the connection, raise the vibration, and I felt that the whole time we spent together.
You can read and see more of our day together at Kathy Dure’s blog “What did I do in on my visit in NYC…”
I would continue but I don’t want to bore you all…
the reluctant bloger 