A week ago, my best friend, his mom, and I went to New York. I love traveling, and New York was a brand new place for me to visit. In my last article, I wrote about how much I want to be an editor when I finish college. New York is the place for editing and publishing, so this trip was already getting exciting before I even got on the plane.
However, this trip taught me so much not only about myself, but also, about other people in general. Living in northern Florida, I don't see a lot of diversity. New York? Totally different story. I decided early on that my focus for the trip would be on the different people I encountered.
The Drivers
We took a lot of taxis. Most of the drivers were quiet and very polite. One of them was Italian, and he shared stories about his son. He said he used to take his son to see an aircraft carrier, and now his son is a pilot in the US Navy. He also spent time describing what the city used to look like when he was younger as we passed different streets.
Another form of transportation in New York is the pedicab. We took one through Central Park. I thought this might be awkward, what with a person you don't know driving you around with their bike. As it turns out, the experience and the amount of fun you have depend on your driver.
Our pedicab driver was very friendly, and he was knowledgeable about the park and everything around it. He told us that he came from Ireland five years ago, all by himself. We ended up talking to him about his life and the move. He pointed out the Upper East and West Sides, and he made a little joke that I ended up thinking about a lot over the course of the trip. Even though it was a funny sentiment, there was a lot of truth behind it. He said, "Old money (Upper East Side), new money (Upper West Side), and where I live, no money."
I've been to Los Angeles a few times, and the divide between the wealthy and the not wealthy can literally be seen on every corner. New York "cleaned up" the streets a few years ago to make things safer, so I only saw one person living on the street the entire time I was there. But, what the pedicab driver said stayed with me. I don't think I'll ever forget it.
The Met Museum
In my picture above, the image on the left is of Andromeda. I wrote a short story based on the myth about a year ago, and then of all the sections in the Met, we happen to visit the one with this sculpture. It reminded me that humans are constantly inspiring each other across time and culture. I've seen this in other people's works, but never so strongly in my own, and it was incredible.
The 9/11 Memorial
Perhaps one of the most humbling things I've ever experienced.
We did a tour of the memorial, and we went through the museum. I've been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, but this was completely different. I was alive for this tragedy. I was part of it and felt the same sorrow everyone else did that day.
Photo Credit: Jacob Parks
Around the two pools are all the names of the people that passed away as a result of the attacks on September 11th, 2001. The memorial is designed so that you are able to touch the names as you read them. The tour guide took us around and told stories about a few of the names, about the people they were. It was extremely emotional, and there were a few stories she struggled to tell us without becoming upset.
The most interesting thing I noticed about the names I saw was that they were all so different. You could tell the people these names belonged to weren't just from America, but were from all around the world. I never thought about 9/11 that way until I went to the memorial and saw them spelled out next to one another.
All of these experiences shared in my understanding and appreciation of diversity. Some were more powerful than others, but all were equally important. My biggest take-away from this trip was how much capacity I have to enjoy other people and their lives.
Recent world events have discouraged many of us from believing in one another, but New York reminded me that compassion, love, and human greatness are still possible. The 9/11 tour guide said the new WTC tower "will not fall. We are not afraid, and we are rebuilding." It is my hope that we will do this with the world, too.
