Here is an ode to New York. And to New York’s mostly-invisible greatness.<\/p>\n
What I really want to write about right now is my moment on the corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue.<\/p>\n
The evening was beautiful. Cool air, blue sky deepening into sunset, the air fresh and spring-like. The sun going down. People on their bikes. Restaurants with tables outside. Beautiful. An evening where New York looks fresh, and lovely. Like anything can happen.<\/p>\n
I stood on the corner of 10th Street and 2nd, waiting for the light to change. I was in my own little private Idaho, but suddenly … noticed my surroundings.<\/p>\n
Behind me, on the Southwest corner of the intersection, was a restaurant called “Rectangles”. More specifically: “Rectangles: Yemenite and Israeli cuisine<\/b>“.<\/p>\n
So that was thing # 1.<\/p>\n
Across the street, diagonally on the Northwest corner of 2nd and 10th, is the famous St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery<\/b>. A 17th century Episcopalian church. I’ve been to weddings there. But it’s also a vibrant performance space, where dance companies, etc., finding a place to work there. A beautiful stone church, set diagonally, with benches around it, people hanging out. People going to an evening mass.<\/p>\n
Across from a Yemenite and Israeli restaurant.<\/p>\n
Then, directly across the street from me, on the Southeast corner of this intersection, the famous Second Avenue Deli<\/b>. The signage looks like Hebrew letters. There is a clock, with Hebrew numbers.<\/p>\n
All converging on one street corner.<\/p>\n
As New Yorkers pedal their bikes slowly by, or drink Guinness at the Irish pub 2 doors down <\/b>… This kind of diversity is rarely even noticed. Or commented upon.<\/p>\n
But in that one moment, I thought: Okay. Hold on. <\/p>\n
What is MOST extraordinary about all of these faiths and cultures co-existing on the same corner … is that it is kind of NOT extraordinary. Nobody even notices.<\/p>\n
This is the very thing about us<\/i> that needs to be cherished. If not by them, then certainly by us. Certainly by us<\/em>. The overall un-extraordinariness of it all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Here is an ode to New York. And to New York’s mostly-invisible greatness. What I really want to write about right now is my moment on the corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue. The evening was beautiful. Cool air, … Continue reading