A Gift From the Heart Warms My Soul

If you've been following this blog you'll know of my love affair with New York City, a destination I've never visited but had down as my number one thing to do on my bucket list. You might also know that this is a trip that will never happen for me.

All things NYC are enthusiastically watched and read. I started off the twenty four hour period that is today watching old episodes of "Rescue Me",  a TV series based on NYFD firefighters post 9-11. I was having trouble sleeping (thank you noisy neighbours and thin walls - some of my Facebook friends have read about the full story on that one, maybe one day it'll seem funny), and decided to catch up on something deliciously NYC. The opening sequence includes a shot of a city street, early morning mist rising off the pavement upwards towards the fire escapes. It's an image that I often bring to mind when I'm virtually walking the streets of the Big Apple (thanks to my friend L for bringing the show to my attention - I must admit that Dennis Leary is growing on me as I head into Season 5).

Early this morning I awoke early as I usually do, and reached for my nearby iPad to check on emails and visit my favourite apps. One being Zite, an online magazine that I check out several times a day - I find  fascinating articles there on subjects that interest me (I have my friend D to thank for letting me know about that one). This morning there was an article on NYC's High Line Park - a project that I've been following avidly for the last couple of years. A journalist had been one of a select group who'd been given a preview visit to the last portion of the park to be completed next year, an old and abandoned elevated railway line running through the city that through the ideas and commitment of local residents and businesses has over the last years been converted to a public park.

A couple of hours ago, a dear friend texted me to ask if she could stop by for a short visit if I was up to it. Although it's been another bad pain day, what's better for cheering me up than smiles and a hug from a caring friend?

After greeting her at the door, she handed me a package and made her way off to the bathroom to wash her hands. I noticed that she was obviously holding back a tear, and in the minutes that followed it quickly made sense.

What my friend had handed me was a book, a lovely bound book that had been designed and printed just for me. On my favourite subject. All this created for me by a woman whom I've never met (a friend of the friend who was now sitting across from me), and she'd obviously gone through a great deal of effort to offer me this tremendous gift. C had come to know about my New York Project  via our mutual friend and had created a book just for me with images and text to help me experience her love of the city.

First chapter? The High Line. Included? Images of those fire escapes that I love. Descriptions of experiences that C has had in my beloved city so that I could share not only in the sights, but in the feeling of being there.

Thank you C. Your gift brought me and your lovely messenger to tears, as she had predicted. Your thoughtfulness is above and beyond, and one day I hope to thank you in person. I'll treasure this gift always, along with the other generous contributions to my New York Project! On any given day, within seconds I can be there by walking across the room :-)