I have a confession:
We have been comfortable, happy, and so at peace on Orchard Street.
There we were—for 2 months or so—planning this big plan and mapping out our apartment path all over New York City, starting with this LES apartment. In the end, look at us! We are still here, two and a half months later...because we are comfortable and happy and at peace.
So what about that?
Actually, I owe this update to one of my dearest friends who spoke to me this weekend and asked about the next blog update. I told her, you know, it's funny you ask because I have been meaning to write...
that we stayed put in this first apartment—surrounded by all the "minimalism" we dug out of Wooster. We've stayed on Orchard street, fully living and enjoying each morning where we get to walk down from the ever-so-high stoop of this apartment building, into the open sky of this very historical neighborhood. We've stayed on Orchard street for two and a half months, cooking and yoga-ing and lemon-water drinking (at least that much of what I promised myself stayed the same)...
In the conversation, I realized that perhaps the greatest minimalist effort has to do with living in the moment. Again, this idea of mindfulness which is being happy with exactly what you have in the moment. Embracing that happiness, touching it and feeling it and trying to understand it, instead of searching for the next thing to consume or purchase or the next place you'll find yourself in or the next moment you'll get to plan the next move.
Minimalism is a special kind of living-in-the-moment, where fundamentally, because you have less to tie you down, you could be anywhere if you truly want to be...and we get to ask ourselves that question every day: where do we want to be?
We let go of our belongings in order to have more freedom; and how ironic that sometimes freedom can be home! It doesn't always have to be a big adventure involving travel and sensory newness...
So what's next? There are "plans" to get out of this city soon. In fact, come next Saturday, we will be in Panama for ten days. We are going for a friend's wedding, but we are also going in order to explore a little—and frankly, after this "planning" experience, I've learned something very important: set no expectations.
I'm looking forward to being surprised by experience, and seeing where it takes us from there...who knows? Maybe we will want to pick up and move to Panama?? :)
But today, and for the past 2 months when I've woken up and asked myself, where do you want to be? my answer, and my freedom, has been "on Orchard in New York City."
There you have it! And happy 2016, world. May we all be wherever our hearts desire this year, pursuing our freedom.
Here's a picture of yesterday's NYC rainbow to seal that deal:
-P