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 One of my favorite things to do during the summer is sit outside on a porch and watch storms pass by. I used to be afraid of thunderstorms, but somehow I've grown out of that fear and really enjoy them now. There's something incredibly cathartic about it, exciting and relaxing all at once. And I think that's one defining characteristic of a non-native New Yorker, at least from observation. The other night, a classic summer storm swept through the city: lots of lightning, deep rumbles of thunder that blended in with the traffic noise, high wind and furious rain. I was sitting in an ice cream shop in Brooklyn, happily watching it blow by and patiently waiting for it to pass. Other people had taken cover in the same shop and they were sort of freaking out. "Ohmygod did you see that lightning??" "We are going to be stuck here forever." "They have to cancel the show. I mean, there's lightning. No way." "IT'S SO WINDY." The younger crowd were most vocal; I glanced around at the older crowd and their expressions were either amusement (at the kids) or slightly tense. Heavy storms pass through the city from time to time, but no one actually wants to sit and watch them pass by. Everyone has to be somewhere, and it's almost an inconvenience when these downpours happen. But in there, I know everyone enjoys it a little bit. Because it's ridiculously hilarious when you have to run through it. Believe me, it takes one to know. Another one of my favorite things to do during the summer is sit by the ocean and eat ice cream (at sunset or at night). Maybe it has something to do with the salty air and sweetness of the ice cream, I don't know, but I like doing it. So the other night, Rachel and I got ice cream and sat by the fountain in Washington Square Park. There was a slight breeze every so often, and the mist was just right for such a hot, humid night. Kids splashed around in the water and we people-watched in general as the sounds of the park surrounded us: an acappella group by the arch behind us, a bluegrass sounding band to the left, a street performance group to the right (which I would later partake) and conversations of all kinds in a variety of languages. Despite the sticky weather, it was just one of those nice summer nights. At least for me, it was really nice to just sit and not think about too much. And I think, a testament to a good friendship is knowing that not every moment needs to be filled with something, that sometimes sitting together silently is okay because all that nothing is actually something. |
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Hi, my name is Amy. Be well, and say hello!
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