Day 68

Even though you cannot get back what you've lost, what is it that you still have?

I didn’t want to give up my old life, but I ultimately accepted losing it once something better came along. This doesn't make it a loss, it makes it a sacrifice.

After going through every possible motion that I could go through, everything stopped. I had no more persistent issues. No more strife, no more struggle. I even renovated my empty, lifeless room into one of color and decor. But a deep desire to move forward from here. However, by this point nothing really clicked in terms of waiting for the next solemn destination to fall right out of the sky. But something stuck out to me about the significant landmarks I’ve been around; they had one thing in common - water. The SZA concert which featured a water theme, the fountain at Washington Square Park, hell even the Erie Canal and the Starbucks Island restaurant was coincidentally a seafood restaurant. Being around water was a theme I wanted to continue as much as I could. For the month of June, I would find any waterbased activity and run into it with open arms. This opened up many new experiences. Kayaking, ferry rides, and many other waterside landmarks were tranquilizing. Places like Little Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Pier 26 were breathtaking. But there was one placed in particular that washed every other place away.

The day that I had planned to see the Statue of Liberty, I had planned to see Governor's Island prior to the trip on the same day. I had decent expectations of what Governor's Island would be like. Once I got to the Island, it was more than I ever could've imagined. Getting off the dock, I stepped foot in a festival-like atmosphere flooding with all sorts of little boutiques. People all around being very welcoming and friendly - I don't think I saw one person without a smile. This little island was perfect for exploring. Every time I took a corner I would find great food, amusing entertainment, or a perfect area to photograph. However, the best part of the experience was about to come. Walking along the waterfront, I noticed a path that slanted upwards. My intuition was telling me to follow it, it was like I was being pulled into an MRI machine. The more I climbed up, the more it grew on me. With each turn was a new scene that I would capture on video.

A stairway of stones, a house hidden away on a secret path, a viewpoint to see the Statue of Liberty. The same statue that I was supposed to visit after this trip, yet I spent so much time on this Island that I wouldn't have time to make it. But I didn't care. This place was hydrotherapy. After reaching the end of the path, it left me at a viewpoint. Once I looked behind me, I saw the most stunning view of the city right in front of me. The buildings, the shoreline, the entire scene. The World Trade Center stood out to me above everything. Someday I hoped to be able to see this building from the skies. Everything went away. All my thoughts stopped, I could only process what was in front of me. I could look at this sight forever. I might have looked at it for hours, I still don't remember how long I spent on Outlook Hill. But it was enough time to ponder. I am in love with my past, but I am content in front of that view, and looking forward to the future where I will see more views such as this one. When I got on the boat to leave the Island, my phone featured an image from the Starbuck Island restaurant with a bright neon sign. "Follow the river and you will find the sea." Kind of funny how it all came full circle, traveling down the Hudson River, to an Island surrounded by the sea.