Coming Home

I visited Texas over spring break. My son Doug and his wife Kelli made me a first time grandmother. I am in love and their names are Doug III and Brecken. But that's a blog for later.

Something interesting happened while I was in Texas. I was visiting with a friend and as I unfolded a scarf I carried for warmth, I told a friend her, "You Southerners sure keep your buildings cold." She looked at me and responded, "You Southerners."

I tell you this, because, in addition to this second experience, I have had an epiphany. On the flight home it was a clear night and I enjoyed my window view. As we flew over cities, the lights looked like giant dazzling spider webs. After the captain announced we were 30 miles from New York City, I kept watch for landmarks I would recognize. The first was the sight of lights, that covered the entire view from my window. The massive size of the New York Metropolitan area, is illustrated by the field of lights, relieved only by the Atlantic Ocean, the New York Harbor and the East River, when compared to those spider webs we passed earlier. The first body of land that I thought I recognized was Brooklyn. I made out what I thought were Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery, (blocks from my apartment. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw a cluster of skyscrapters, the tallest of which was arched, (The Hanson Building). My pulse rose when rising up above the edge of the window I saw the Brooklyn Bridge, and just to the right the Manhattan Bridge. Then the skyscrapers entered my view and I thrilled as the Empire State Building, lit that night in white lights rose up beyond all the others. Next came the elegant lady, the Chrysler Building. A little father along and there was Central Park. I am amazed by how much of Manhattan it encompasses. I recognized the Metropolitan Museum of Art carved out of the East side of the park and further down across the street was the cone of the Guggenheim. I can't tell you how excited I was that I recognized all these places and that in a way I own them. You see, I was home.