EASTER SUNDAY
A TIME OF RENEWAL

For those who know me well, my 10 mile walks are legendary. Today was one of those perfectly crisp spring days, with nothing but blue sky above. I was in “the zone,” thinking, reflecting, renewing my spirit. It was a wonderful “two bridge” kind of day.

My usual trek takes me from my home in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood, over the Williamsburgh Bridge, through the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Lower Manhattan, over the Brooklyn Bridge, through Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan/Brooklyn Overpass, through Brooklyn Heights and back home through Fort Green and Clinton Hill.

In the span of an afternoon, I hear laughter and several languages. Each and every time, I consider myself very lucky and fortunate to be living here.

If I walk non-stop, I can go door to door in three hours. But why rush? I use the time to reflect, listen, and of course shop. Today’s trip netted groceries and spring shoes, complete with good vibes from several shopkeepers who will keep me coming back to their establishments; yes, manners are still fashionable!

What struck me today was the number of storefronts for rent; some of my favorite haunts had gone out of business. Yes, friends … the recession is real. It’s been more than a year since I’ve made this trek, and today provided valuable, street-level perspective on what the city faces in the months ahead.

What I love most about Sunday afternoons is the quiet. While major arteries usually hustle and bustle, people are just calmer on Sunday. Horns honk less, people are less frenzied. Less is just more. The city is simply more peaceful and pleasant, allowing us all a brief moment to just revel in the pleasure of a long, reflective walk.

Keep your cholesterol low and your heart rate in check; let your feet give your entire body a wonderful treat!