It's not about where you ended up, but how you got there.
I don't care how cliche it is, it's true. When I return to NYC from anywhere, I walk a lot slower than everybody else. I take more time to order my meals. I stand on the escalators instead of rushing up or down them. If a train is packed, I sometimes wait for the next one or I hop onto the local train across the platform. Some people may get annoyed by this, but sometimes I need that time to adjust to the push and shove mentality of most New Yorkers.
I don't want to arrive by fire, burning everything in my pathway. I want to plant and nourish relationships. I want to fail here and there. I want some sweet victories. I want to take my time.
RIP Grandma - You are the epitome of endurance. You lived a good long, full life. I'm so very proud of you.
RIP Mira - Four years; we still remember.
Love,
Young and naive XMLabels: grandma, letter to self, mira