Macy's Flower Show ends tomorrow, and although I've been sick all week with a bad cold (and am still sick), I'm determined to make it there, even though it usually means standing in line outside for at least 30 minutes. Considering that it's supposed to be in the 50s and very windy, this is probably a stupid idea, but if it's choosing between a missed opportunity or taking the chance that things will work out, I've seen both sides.
My wonderful aunt gave both my sister and I a graduation gift of a trip anywhere in the world. She chose Ireland's castles. I chose a high energy trip through Madrid, Barcelona, Aix-en-Provence, Marseilles, Nice, Monaco, Florence, and Rome with stops in between at smaller towns and historic spots. Then the unexpected happened. In my senior year of college, I had to have emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia, pushed through finals even in pain while recovering, but unfortunately developed another hernia on the other side. This tour I had picked would be covered in 2 weeks with no more than 2 nights in any place, and I hadn't factored in the unexpected hernias, so I was very much weighing if I could physically withstand the pace. I was about 6 weeks out from the first surgery, and had the other active hernia (which does cause pain and discomfort even if it's not strangulated), which was scheduled to be operated on in August, but this tour was the at the end of June.
After some serious consideration, I went all in and embraced the tour; a decision I've never regretted. Was I in pain? Absolutely. At least I didn't have to handle my bags, so I didn't do further damage to the hernias, but sitting on a bus for 8 hours and then doing vigorous walking up and down cobblestone streets wasn't exactly comfortable. However, it was the experience of a lifetime, including exposure to incredible history, art, different cultures, cathedrals, amazing views, and understanding how much of our American influence borrows heavily from the European prototype with our own twist added. I returned exhausted and in pain, yet exhilarated about the fantastic experiences I was lucky enough to have, thanks to my aunt, and my persistence.
Adding to the certainty that I made the right choice by pushing myself to do it as scheduled, this was June-July of 2001. The Euro hadn't been rolled out yet in most countries so I experienced pesos, francs, and lira. Most importantly, it was before September 11th. When I was in Europe there was still that innocence that most nations had pre-9/11, and as an American tourist, I'm very sure this would have been a very different experience, if we managed to reschedule at all.
On the other side, since moving to New York there have many missed opportunities in terms of plays to be seen, events like the Flower Show or Big Apple BBQ, and many other occasions where I'm so caught up in my own life and work that one year I remember, while the next year it completely slips my mind. Concerts I haven't gone to even though I had tickets, because I was sick or just too tired to muster the strength after work. Dinners I've canceled, and weekends when instead of Central Park or Carl Schurz Park, I stay inside trying to get the maximum amount of sleep.
Do I regret some of these decisions? Absolutely, but other so-called missed opportunities preserved my health, my performance at my job, and the ability to cope in an intense city, with all that it entails. Going all out for two weeks on a European tour, but knowing that you can rest for a month at the end of it is very different from years of living at that insane pace. If you're permanently somewhere like NYC, with endless possibilities each night, if I tried to experience everything the city has to offer I would burn out. It also doesn't help (or might actually be a positive) that I'm 13 years older and as happens to most people as they age, I am more cautious and generally more self-aware that I'm not racing to a finish line, but staying the course.
The first time I saw the Flower Show was in 2013 when The Painted Garden was an Indian-Asian inspired exhibit, and it was phenomenal. Last year I was too sick to even remember that it was happening. This year I may be ill, it might be a stupid decision, but I think I choose for this to not be a missed opportunity.
My wonderful aunt gave both my sister and I a graduation gift of a trip anywhere in the world. She chose Ireland's castles. I chose a high energy trip through Madrid, Barcelona, Aix-en-Provence, Marseilles, Nice, Monaco, Florence, and Rome with stops in between at smaller towns and historic spots. Then the unexpected happened. In my senior year of college, I had to have emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia, pushed through finals even in pain while recovering, but unfortunately developed another hernia on the other side. This tour I had picked would be covered in 2 weeks with no more than 2 nights in any place, and I hadn't factored in the unexpected hernias, so I was very much weighing if I could physically withstand the pace. I was about 6 weeks out from the first surgery, and had the other active hernia (which does cause pain and discomfort even if it's not strangulated), which was scheduled to be operated on in August, but this tour was the at the end of June.
After some serious consideration, I went all in and embraced the tour; a decision I've never regretted. Was I in pain? Absolutely. At least I didn't have to handle my bags, so I didn't do further damage to the hernias, but sitting on a bus for 8 hours and then doing vigorous walking up and down cobblestone streets wasn't exactly comfortable. However, it was the experience of a lifetime, including exposure to incredible history, art, different cultures, cathedrals, amazing views, and understanding how much of our American influence borrows heavily from the European prototype with our own twist added. I returned exhausted and in pain, yet exhilarated about the fantastic experiences I was lucky enough to have, thanks to my aunt, and my persistence.
Adding to the certainty that I made the right choice by pushing myself to do it as scheduled, this was June-July of 2001. The Euro hadn't been rolled out yet in most countries so I experienced pesos, francs, and lira. Most importantly, it was before September 11th. When I was in Europe there was still that innocence that most nations had pre-9/11, and as an American tourist, I'm very sure this would have been a very different experience, if we managed to reschedule at all.
On the other side, since moving to New York there have many missed opportunities in terms of plays to be seen, events like the Flower Show or Big Apple BBQ, and many other occasions where I'm so caught up in my own life and work that one year I remember, while the next year it completely slips my mind. Concerts I haven't gone to even though I had tickets, because I was sick or just too tired to muster the strength after work. Dinners I've canceled, and weekends when instead of Central Park or Carl Schurz Park, I stay inside trying to get the maximum amount of sleep.
Do I regret some of these decisions? Absolutely, but other so-called missed opportunities preserved my health, my performance at my job, and the ability to cope in an intense city, with all that it entails. Going all out for two weeks on a European tour, but knowing that you can rest for a month at the end of it is very different from years of living at that insane pace. If you're permanently somewhere like NYC, with endless possibilities each night, if I tried to experience everything the city has to offer I would burn out. It also doesn't help (or might actually be a positive) that I'm 13 years older and as happens to most people as they age, I am more cautious and generally more self-aware that I'm not racing to a finish line, but staying the course.
The first time I saw the Flower Show was in 2013 when The Painted Garden was an Indian-Asian inspired exhibit, and it was phenomenal. Last year I was too sick to even remember that it was happening. This year I may be ill, it might be a stupid decision, but I think I choose for this to not be a missed opportunity.
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