I experienced an amazing 11 days in New Jersey and New York – parts of the country where my roots are. After driving from Beach Haven, New Jersey where my childhood friend and I celebrated our 75th birthdays, I drove to Newark Airport and then to Manhattan to Leo House – a small, comfortable Catholic guest house in Chelsea from which  I enjoyed New York for a full week – an incredible luxury. I have described some of my activities and posted a few of my journey daybook pages through last Tuesday, 14 July. While I was away, I copied my pages with my iPhone but now that I am home, I have scanned all my pages and have posted them on the Journey Daybook pages page. I would be grateful if you would peak at these.

In the last few days of my New York trip, I indulged in a few “soft”social activities. My niece, Pat, and her wife, Elaine invited me to dinner at a calm, casual restaurant – Walkers – in Tribeca Tuesday night, where I  connected with Pat after several years. I loved meeting Elaine whom I had never met. We were all surprised by the amazing synchronicities that we share. Being with Pat and Elaine was a highlight of my week and I can’t wait until we meet again! On Wednesday, the last full day of my New York stay, I went to the new Whitney museum that just opened in the old meatpacking district of the west side. This once terrible part of the city is now completely transformed. It rained on Wednesday but I was able to find a dry place on the patio of the Whitney to record the roof and water tower of a nearby building. Afterward, I walked up the High Line, an elevated park created by city citizens to restore an abandoned rail line that once served ships and adjacent warehouses along the Hudson River. This park is truly a work of art of botanical and landscape design that extends from the Whitney at 14th Street north to 34th Street. I walked the High Line to 32nd Street and then two long blocks east to the Leo House.

Then, later on Wednesday night I dined with the residents of The Dwelling Place, that is in a charming brownstone building on west 40th Street that serves as a transitional residence for women, many of whom have been homeless or who have suffered other life-limiting challenges and need a safe living space. Elaine is on the board of this non-profit home. We were entertained by a women’s chorus from lower Manhattan. We were treated to a delicious dinner, and I was given a tour of this beautiful residence by the director, Sister Joann Sambs, a sister of St Agnes, who lives – of all places – at The Leo House! I met a lovely resident who is a terrific artist and who is most interested in learning to make a journal similar to our journey daybooks. Happily, I can grant Dora this wish!

As you may have guessed, this trip was true magic for me. My pace was slow with plenty of time for contemplation and reading. This experience was a true retreat. My heart was warmed by the warm weather. I feel that I have now found a place of rest in New York. And, I made several  kind and loving new friends.