As is my custom, I was out for my morning sojourn. Sometimes I walk with
a purpose to a particular destination while at other times I simply walk for
the mileage. It’s good for the mind and body, etc. It’s not hiking. It’s walking
in the traditional sense and usually involves some type of a loop through
my village of Nyack’s downtown.
The fact that it was New Year’s Day made no difference. Besides, the day broke bright and beautiful, so off I went.
When I walk, I experience a variety of mental states. Sometimes I am so
inwardly focused that I hardly notice anything but my own breathing, while
at other times, I’m keenly aware of everything and everyone around me.
For today’s voyage I was more into a deep reflective state as I walked through the tree lined streets with modest but gracious homes. Like a plant turning
its leaves to the blazing sun, I looked up to bathe my face in the golden
glow of this rare winter morning. I felt my mood which had been more
reserved, soften.
As I approached downtown and the corner of Broadway and Main, I noticed
a young father with 2 young children and a labrador retriever mix-dog
coming towards me from the opposite direction. The father must have been
about forty with one child being a toddler and the other a year or two older.
They were laughing and having a good time learning to walk properly with
the dog. I got within a few feet of fully expecting to simply smile at them as
they walked by. But, to my surprise, the dad spoke up, saying to his
children: “what do we say to everyone that we pass today?” In unison they
responded with appropriate gusto: ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR!” I broke into a
huge smile and of course replied with my own, grand “HAPPY NEW
YEAR!”
They continued on their way and me, mine. But my attitude had changed
completely. Where I had been darker in my vision for the future, this brief
encounter reminded me what makes living here worth it in the first place.
Sure, on the up side it’s a charming place with great natural beauty, stately
neighborhoods, a diverse population and a thriving restaurant scene. But it
has issues with affordable housing, homelessness, high taxes, and more.
Certainly, no place is paradise. In other words, it’s a REAL place in every
sense of the word. However, it’s moments like these that make Nyack so
LIVABLE. Overall, it’s a village with people that care about where they live,
how they live, and how they can make it better for all its residents.
And that’s a message we can take into the new year. If we make the effort
to work together, respect everyone for who they are, and commit to living
with more compassion, the future can be as bright as a beautiful New
Year’s dawn.
Frank LoBuono is a Nyack Resident, photographer, blogger and retired CBS News journalist.
