Over Mother’s Day weekend, I spent three beautiful days in New York with my daughters. My oldest daughter had a wish list of things to do and told me they were all quite unconventional for a weekend in New York besides seeing a play. She wanted to sleep in (as she has three kids under 7), go to a bookstore and peruse for as long as she wished to, buy a book or two, read in a park, eat good food and ice cream, and visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. This trip was a gift from her husband and I was just tagging along.
My youngest daughter, Tika, found an adorable bookstore: “Three Lives & Company” on 10th Street, and we spent two hours or more there. Quite small inside, we asked the owner what the layout was and he showed us what each corner was. We all moved to our favorite genres, and kept talking to each other from across the room, “Look at this” or “Have you read this before?”
I found three books that I wanted: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg, The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion by Peter Wohlleben, and one of those cute little pocketbooks with a red ribbon bookmark-Poems About Birds, from Macmillan collectors library, which conveniently by the cash register, I saw it and instantly wanted it.
Great choices! And so here are some thoughts from each of those books.
From Goldberg on writing: “First thoughts have tremendous energy. It is the way the mind first flashed on something. The internal censor usually squelches them, so we live in the realm of second and third thoughts, thoughts on thought, twice and three times removed from the direct connection of the first fresh flash. First thoughts are also unencumbered by ego, by that mechanism in us that tries to be in control…You must be a great warrior when you contact your first thoughts and write from them…Why else are first thoughts so energizing? Because they have to do with freshness and inspiration. Inspiration means ‘breathing in’. Breathing in God. You actually become larger than yourself, and first thoughts are present.”
This is so true! Sometimes, especially when I am running by myself. I will have this first thought of an idea. Sometimes, I even stop and voice text it into my notes on my phone. Then, when I get home, I try to write about it, but it is almost gone. It is not as vibrant as it was 30 minutes ago. This does not mean that I give up–because I still love the idea–but I have to dig pretty deep to get what I want out of it; and oftentimes, if it is past 30 minutes or so…it is hard.
Wohlleben became popular with his groundbreaking book The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, which I have not read, but it has been on my wishlist. So, when I spied his companion book on animals, I wanted to read it. This book discusses the emotions and behaviors of animals with a lot of interesting facts. The book is loaded with hundreds of anecdotes such as Swifts rarely stand on the ground but sleep while soaring. The stories and the science behind them make for an interesting read.
Lastly, I have always liked looking at birds. I am not a bird watcher, but I enjoy bird art, bird ornaments, and bird books, especially children’s books on birds.
One favorite:
The Linnet
Within the bush, her cover nest
A little linnet fondly prest;
The dew sat chilly on her breast
Sae early in the morning.
She soon shall see her tender brood,
The pride, the pleasure of the wood,
Among the fresh green leaves bedew’d
Awake the early morning.
Robert Burns 1759-1796
We left the bookstore, walked to Levain Bakery for cookies, and then went to Bryant Park where local artists, and crafters were set up under canopies. I bought a sketch and admired the spring flowers and fountain. A small group of adults was dancing hip hop. The French-style Le Carrousel played happily in the background as we walked around and admired the statues of William Cullen Bryant and Gertrude Stein. After an hour of relaxing, we headed to the New York Public Library. A fun, spring day in New York!
What’s your favorite weekend?
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