Over four years after their last trip together, Amy and her friends Barbara, Alessandra and Debby - the BAAD girls - decided to spend three days in New York City. They wanted to reconnect, remind themselves of what matters in life and soak up the best the city had to offer.
That included glimpsing “a promise of color in the air” during a walk through Central Park, a long lunch at iconic Central Park Boathouse, a visit to the MET’s rooftop and watching the Tony award-winning musical SUFFS about the women’s suffrage movement.
Those might sound like busy days in a busy city. But the truth is that, to Amy and her friends, those days replenished their hearts and minds.
Not only were they able to catch up during long walks and meals or get entertained and inspired at SUFFS. They understood in a very practical way the importance of spending time with the people we love, especially when it takes effort.
“Friendships like these—the ones that last through years and distance—are truly priceless,” Amy reminds us. “They’re the relationships that keep us grounded, that remind us who we are, and who we want to become. And it’s up to us to make the time for them.”
Amy left New York on October 9, what would have been John Lennon’s 84th birthday. She took a last walk through Central Park and, upon reaching Strawberry Field, saw and heard about 100 people singing Lennon’s songs. After spending a few days with close friends, she felt connected to those strangers, too.
When was the last time you reached out to an old friend?
Carolina Baldin is a freelance journalist from Brazil. Having worked in law, policy and regulation, she is passionate about everyday stories that illustrate larger issues. She graduated from a master's program at Northwestern University in 2023 and became a guest blogger on the "Speaking of Phenomenal" podcast blog in March 2024.
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