New York City - a place I always wanted to visit but was afraid to after poor experiences when passing through in the 70's and '80's. Now and for the last two years, it has become the place I call "home". I felt a tremendous amount of anxiety when I first learned my husband's job was moving him to New York. The country loving side of me had to rationalize how I would be able to cope with city life ... and not just ANY city life, but the Big Apple itself! I have always loved the green sea of trees in the forest, huge fields of softly bending grasses that go on forever, the crisp, fresh scent of the air on a country morning, and the quiet solidtude. So how was I going to cope in this concrete ocean with the loud city traffic, buildings so tall they block the sun, and crowds of people as far as the eye can see? The answer came in one simple yet complex place - Central Park. It is a sanctuary sitting in the middle of chaos. One can walk into Central Park and, in little more than a few steps, feel like the city is nowhere near. Its' quiet is amplified by the towering elms, rolling fields and smooth lakes. There are paths that wander for miles through the woods and around small ponds, leading to spaces where one can spend time alone, getting lost in their thoughts, and forgetting that the city even exists. Though one must eventually return to the realities city life, the park offers a welcome, convenient escape. It has brought a bit of the country close enough to touch and large enough to share.
