Birthday love

Manhattan Bridge as seen from the Tobacco Warehouse at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park (DUMBO). Photo taken March 2008.


In honor of my birthday next week, we're off to a place that pretty much says it all: Mt. Desert Island.

And in honor of my birthday next week, I'm sharing here one of the photos dearest to me. It's precious for several reasons. The main one is that cameras are not allowed in this site (the abandoned Tobacco Warehouse) without a special photo license obtained through some government agency. I got away with taking the above shot because I chatted up the head grounds guy and nicely asked him to make an exception with me. (I explained that the photos are for my family who has never been there, that I grew up in Staten Island and am traveling in from Jersey, etc. etc.) Green lights for Teaneck T, with a smile. Turns out he's from Staten Island too.

After taking this photo I then ended up talking to more park workers there. It was a nice day, I was all mellow and happy capturing different angles with my camera, and the fellows were curious about me. The guy on the left (above) ended up giving me the most helpful tips of where to go in Dumbo to get my Manhattan-Bridge-in-between-buildings shots, two of which I've already posted on 3/16/08.

That was a day when I spontaneously decided to go to a new neighborhood and explore it by myself with no aim but to be open to the wonder of it. My March 16, 2008 photoblog entry was borne out of that trip.

The older I get, the more I am determined to keep creating experiences of inspiration and gratefulness like I did that day. I wish to grow old beautifully, to be open to people's friendliness and their help, and to be fearless in my solitude. I wish to live the years gaining access where access is not automatically given without effort, and certainly without heart.