Suburbia and Beyond

Monday morning is a quiet time just to sit and think about what I am feeling today. I dread the fact that it is only Monday, and the weekend flew by in what seems the blink of an eye. Veronika and I took a trip to Brooklyn, New York on Sunday to just relax a bit on the boardwalk, and take some of the sights. Brighton Beach is such an interesting place with all its Russian culture, and beautiful architecture. It is always a challenge to find parking, but I guess that is part of the allure. I live in the quiet suburb of Chappaqua, New York where life is somewhat subdued and uneventful. I enjoy being out of my element from time to time. It stretches me beyond my comfort zone and forces me to live in the moment. Back in Chappaqua, life is pretty much the routine of work, sleep, and eating. It can become monotonous, so it’s wonderful to experience other places and cultures to stimulate the mind. Since marrying Veronika last May, I have noticed my transformation from the cocoon of bachelorhood to life as a somewhat culturally aware married man. We have visited museums, zoos, and exhibits, and spent time in Times Square just people-watching. We have been to “Ground Zero” together and walked the streets of Greenwich Village. We even stood outside “Carrie Bradshaw’s” apartment in the West Village. The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts was a fun little jaunt into small-town New England. I had forgotten that there is a whole other world out there, outside my protective bubble. So much to see and experience right in my own backyard. It’s interesting to think that people have traveled halfway across the globe to experience the places that are within my reach. I owe the cultural awakening to my wife. I love experiencing these places with her and observing through her eyes. Like the time she stumbled upon one of Van Gogh’s self-portraits for the first time, she stopped and turned away as she was not ready to see such a masterpiece, and prepared herself for the moment So many places around us that we should experience, but because we are always looking beyond our immediate field of view, we step over the wonderful experiences right before us. If there is any place you’ve ever wanted to go, even the biggest tourist traps, I encourage you to go. Maybe you’ve never seen the “World’s Largest Twine Ball” in Darwin, Minnesota, or The Grand Canyon National Park in Williams, Arizona, Mount Rushmore in Rapid City, South Dakota, Washington, DC, or even local historical sites, find some time to visit. Stretch yourself beyond your daily living, you will feel profoundly connected, and you will become a better person for it!