Rebuilding a Connection in New York

Times Square isn’t exactly a fun place to be when you don’t like crowds. The swarms of people in the streets are feeling claustrophobic. The massive buildings hover over the streets, making it almost impossible not to feel like they are closing in. Bright beaming lights from the billboards add another factor to overstimulation. Cars honking, people yelling, and street performers all contribute to noise pollution. Though to some, this is home.

As a kid growing up in a very suburban area, city life was completely abnormal. Though my mom grew up in the heart of New York, Queens, where the constant buzz doesn't affect her. We had come to visit my grandma, who had been living in New York by herself. My grandma is the kindest and funniest person in my family. Any room she’s in, she brings a sense of peaceful unity where people can feel like themselves and laugh. At the time, she had surgery on both of her knees and had gained 40 pounds. Living by herself, she was unable to walk or move; she had nowhere to go but home. Our goal in visiting was to bring her out of her shell again.

In our family, we bond over food. We took her to multiple of the most popular places in the city and had her try caviar for the first time. At the end of the trip, we shared a moment where she opened up to us about her recent struggles. I am beyond grateful that we decided to go on this trip to New York. We had a breakthrough in our relationship, and I feel closer to her now. Now, when I think of New York, it’s not this overstimulating place full of traffic and claustrophobia. It’s a place of joy and comfort because of my grandma's presence.