Four moments

 -photography by Gayle Oshrin

Four moments. 

It is any day in January. I am scrolling on Facebook and come across this photograph my old roommate posts. She lives in Greenwich Village and simply put, she is a talented photographer. Always has been. She is an attorney by trade but boy, I wait for her posts because they are always amazing. I have always loved photography as a medium. My house certainly has its fair share of it. I think I like it because it grounds me. Anyway, this piece really speaks to me. It reminds me of the old movie, Rear Window, that I absolutely love and have watched countless times. I reply to her post of this photograph, "very Rear Window". She responds..."or in this case, my front window". I mention that I neeeeeeeeedddd this and she responds asking for my address. New York City is a very special place to me and a place I don't spend enough time exploring but I am truly happy every time I do. I reach out on Messenger and we catch up a bit. It is so great to "talk" to her after so many years. Connection. Truly, the best (only?- another discussion for another day) part of social media (aside from Facebook Birthdays!). I give her my address and move forward with my day. Maybe a week later, I receive a package. The fact that she took the time to do this means a lot-more than she realizes, likely. 

Yesterday. I am at the Y. I am walking the track. In my own world. Listening to music. Greeting some new friends but living happily in my own head, enjoying the me time. I get hot so I take off my sweatshirt and out of my ear comes an air pod. I don't see it drop. I mildly panic. Where did it go? Did it fall to the gym floor below where people are playing pickleball. Is it somehow stuck in my clothing, even though I have patted myself down multiple times. Is it on the track around me? I am feeling stuck. Then, one person stops and asks if I lost something. They help and then say they will keep an eye out. Then, another does the same thing. Then, another. The fact that I am standing there, feeling a bit foolish, a bit panicked that I might have lost something, and people around me are willing to stop and ask. Multiple people. When I shake my sweatshirt really hard once again, it falls. Ahhhhhh. Relief. Deep breath. I start walking the hamster track again and I am surprised by how many people stop to ask if I found my ear bud. Connection. Community. 

This morning. I am still waking up and feeling a little out of sorts. I am opening up to Kelley and sharing the many mind zaps that are occurring for me this morning. He and I are talking and Chappy (that would be our dog) is standing between us staring at the both of us. His eyes go back and forth. Clearly, he is zeroed into me. We finish our conversation and Kelley starts to go downstairs. Chappy keeps looking back at me, making sure that I am following. I am not ready for the day and I do not follow. Chappy, very quietly, comes back and lies down with watchful eyes. He follows me around the house, never straying far. Connection in the smallest ways. Unspoken. Unconditional. Love.

This afternoon at 3:15 p.m. Sage comes home from school and has a quick turnaround because there is a game tonight. She needs dinner early. When I say early, I mean like 4 p.m. early. I am starting a new position on Monday and only have a few days left when I can make my daughter dinner at 4 p.m. I jump up and think what can I make quickly? Frozen pizza. (Home Run frozen pizza to be exact - I mean who doesn't like frozen pizza?) I need veggies. I love vegetables. I am kinda obsessed with them actually. Maybe that's silly but whatever. 

So, what do I do? I put on some music. Let's talk about the music actually. I really enjoy listening to albums beginning to end from time to time. I watched Euphoria a couple of weeks ago and was reminded of INXS Kick. So, that was what I put on Sonos.  I light my candle and pour some wine. I steam some spinach, roast some zucchini, pepper and cherry tomatoes, open up a nice bottle of red and throw the pizza and vegetables in the oven. And.......after that is done, I sit down to write to you. 

Song to listen to: Song for the Waiting by Aron Wright
Book to read: The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois

Recipe to make: Made up Asian fusion bowl. Yes, you read correctly. A new quick food place opened up near us (very yummy). I kept ordering the same thing so I decided to figure out how I would make it at home. Most of my meals are fast these days. I definitely used shortcuts. You do not need to but I did and I have varied this meal multiple times. 

Get a big bowl. Sauté some zucchini (or roast) in olive oil with a little garlic. Put in the bowl. Slice some carrots and put apple cider vinegar in them to coat. After 15 minutes, add to bowl. Steam some broccoli (Or cook with the zucchini) and place in bowl. Cook some quinoa (or rice or combination) and surprise, put in bowl. Add kimchi (you can buy at most stores now). Add some spinach or power green mixture. Sprinkle some peanuts in there. Add cilantro and scallions. Drizzle soy sauce or some sort of sesame, soy, ginger mixture. Stir well so that the warm veggies help cook the greens. Yummmmmmmm

Enjoy!

Choose kindness. Every gesture counts. Love and peace.