New York Nights and the Amber Lights

Everyone should have a place they can visit regularly where they feel truly at peace. A place where they can get some thinking done. Where they can relax and let themselves take in all the sensations around them, and feel content.

As a minimalist, I am big on living in the moment. I am also into textures, scents, and sensations. This is one of the reasons I like living in upstate NY so much. We have seasons. Very diverse and distinctly different seasons, each with its own smells, feels, and even moods.

For me, my “go to” place for peace and contemplation, is the streets of my sub-urban neighborhood at night. I love to see the light of the amber street lamps shine upon the pavement. I love hearing the sounds of traffic and the rustle of the train. I love feeling the breeze in my hair. I often spend some time walking the streets. I’ll even squat down on the sidewalk under a street lamp to sit down for a bit, and let my fingers graze the asphalt. This may sound strange to some, but this is a small slice of heaven to me. I let all of the sensations wash over me, and it puts me at peace.

While that is my “go to” place for peace and/or contemplation, there are others that are not so readily available to me. I do have some rare treats I enjoy once or twice a year. These are:

  • Deep Tissue Massage at the spa.
  • The beach.
  • A train ride.

All of these experiences have the sounds, sights, smells, and feels I desire so much.

These are some of the real riches life has to offer. Riches that so many of us fail to notice in the race for excess, the race of consumerism. We miss so many of the wonderful sensations that the world just outside our front door has for us.

What places and settings do it for you?

Make it a point to immerse yourself in them regularly.