FOR 2016

Words and photo by F LoBuono

The world is a hard place and NYC can be one of the hardest. Well documented, the pace of New York is second to none. It can be a 24-7-365 grind. It seems everyone is hustling just to stay alive.

On my way to a local deli to pick up some coffee, I noticed a flock of pigeons bathing and "dinning" in some fetid water left over from the last storm. They pecked at every scrap that might be something edible. The horse drawn carriages were lazily making there way up 10th Avenue from their stables on the West side to take up their positions in Central Park. All "gussied up" for the Holidays, they trudged up the long incline to service the thousands of tourists who eagerly await their arrival to take them on romantic rides through the park. A sea of yellow - the famous (or infamous, depending on your POV) fleet of taxis flanked the horses for the trip up 10th Ave., every one of them working 12 hours/day to hustle a buck. It NEVER stops. It is truly the City that never sleeps.

These are just the smaller issues that affect New Yorkers on a daily basis. It does not include the incredibly high cost of living here. Food can be SO expensive and an apartment worse. Crime and the threat of terrorism are never far from our consciousness - not that it slows us down! Noise, air, and water pollution surround us. Traffic can be a nightmare.

So, you may ask why would anyone in their right mind even ATTEMPT to live in such a severe place?

Well, because NYC is the best metaphor for LIFE itself. The challenges that we face are balanced by the incredible energy and beauty that can be found here, as well. The competition that drives this City, often to distraction, is also a catalyst for great creative energy. New York, on balance, may be the most accomplished city in the world. More extraordinary things are envisioned and executed here than anywhere else on the planet. We are the financial capital of the world, the media capital of the world, and, arguably, the food capital, too. The will to achieve is strong in New Yorkers.

And, despite the obvious grit and grime, New York is also a place of great physical beauty. I have driven over the George Washington Bridge (THE busiest bridge in the world) thousands of times. And, yet, every time that I make the long, winding turn off the bridge and on to the West Side Highway, I marvel at the spectacular vista of the mighty Hudson, flowing like molten silver in the early morning sun, flanked on one side by the canyons created by the City's awesome skyline and on the other by the cliffs of the mighty Palisades (one of the most unique natural structures in the world) - EVERY SINGLE TIME. It is never just "there". Sunsets on Rockaway Beach are nothing short of breathtaking. Central Park, covered in freshly fallen snow (before the traffic turns it into black soot), allows one to revel in pristine nature, all while surrounded by the most frenetic city in the world. Times Square, lit up brighter than a Madam LeRue Pinball Machine, is called The Crossroads of the World for a reason.

Again, these are just a few of the gems offered by The Big Apple.

To succeed in New York is to succeed in life - and vice versa. Again, the key is BALANCE. We cannot ignore the ugly. We cannot (and should not) look past it. It is a part of life. We cannot know joy fully until we experience sorrow, as well. We need to accept that suffering is a part of the world. But, we must (and should) do everything within our power to alleviate that suffering. Part of the process should be an acknowledgement of the beauty and kindness within our world, too. Allow that goodness to penetrate and move us. Let it fill us with the power of love - for the world, our brothers and sisters, and ourselves.

May you and yours experience the fullness of life - in ALL its manifestation - and bring all the love you can muster to the coming New Year.

HAPPY 2016