Another Christmas in the Trenches
December 16, 2010
Another Christmas in the Trenches
Tis the season in Manhattan. Everything is in full swing here in the city. The Swarovski star is on top of the tree in Rockefeller Center, people are skating in Central Park, the “Christmas Village” has turned Union Square into a field of red canopies , and Salvation Army recruits are ringing bells on every street corner. I’ve always been a die-hard for a “good ‘Ole Country Christmas”, but even I have to admit that there is nothing quite like Christmas in New York City. Let’s be honest, there really isn’t anything like anything in New York City.
I’ll be spending Christmas in New York again this year. I’ve never kept secret my personal feelings about this city I live in. It is wonderful and terrible in large doses. It can take a lot from you, but more and more often I catch myself stopping to appreciate or enjoy in moments where I have sighed or grumbled before. I’m still doing plenty of those things, mind you, and am rarely marveled or blown away… but Rome wasn’t built in a day.
For now, I’m willing to trade the lights at Temple Square for the windows at Bergdorf’s; the Forgotten Carols for the street performers who walk through the subway cars playing guitars, accordions, and mouth recorders; snow tubing in American Fork Canyon for watching tourists slip down the stairs at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral; and dad’s Christmas Turkey for authentic Ethiopian, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Peruvian, or Italian food. While some of the particulars of my life may not be as I imagined they would, and I will deeply miss my friends and family back in Zion, I’m looking forward to this particular season in this particular city.
Gentleman's Time 
The first time I visited NYC, I found it profoundly beautiful that if you look closely, in any direction, you’ll find people stopping for their own moment of peace. Right in the middle of everything going on. Anywhere else besides a bustling city, you’d look silly listening to your iPod while grocery shopping. Sitting down on a curb around the corner to just “be” for a minute. Full-on meditating in your booth at the cafe. It made me think that to stay sane in a city like this, you HAVE to find these little opportunities to experience silence and solitude. I loved witnessing this. So now I do my grocery shopping with my earbuds in. And sometimes I even hum along. In Utah Valley. And I don’t care if it means I look weird or standoffish, because it’s my little moment of solitude.
Kind of a dumb little tidbit… but I love this little thing about new york, and your post reminded me of it.
“snow tubing in American Fork Canyon for watching tourists slip down the stairs at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral”
This is one of the main reasons why I love you. And why we get along so well. I’ll come visit soon, I pinky-promise. xo.
we will miss you dearly, but christmas in new york city sounds magical! maybe next year I’ll join you.
M