When we moved to Beacon about fourteen years ago, my life began to change. We wanted to leave Westchester. We had a baby and didn’t want him to grow up in Pelham, a bedroom city where we didn’t fit, either because of our income or because of our way of thinking. Beacon was affordable and had a life of its own. As soon as we closed on the new house, we began the transfer.
Beacon’s location is enviable: on the banks of the Hudson river, at the foot of Mount Beacon, and close to Hide Park and the Roosevelt and Vanderbilt estates. Scenic Hudson, the non-profit organization that concerns with renovating public spaces to bring residents closer to nature, have done a great job. They’ve transformed the banks of the Hudson into green parks, among others, Long Dock Park, one of my favorite places to go. Long Dock Park constituted my first stop when I started to work on Vida en la tierra (Life on Earth). Those visits were my initial contact with nature; they made me appreciate it, and Beacon. I learned the difference between living in the country and living in the city; I experienced the calming effect of the greenery, the river, and the silence. Eric, Nathan, and I would go the Riverfront Park (a very large park on the Hudson) or Long Dock to walk, swim, or listen to live concerts. I think I never enjoyed myself more than by sitting on the grass in front of the river and listening to music.
Then I got the injury. Since then, I’ve been going on the deck every day when the days are sunny and mild. Spending my time there, sitting in the wheelchair and feeling the lawn, leaves, and fruits keeping me company, gives me a sense of peace. Whenever I feel angry, impatient, or depressed I resort to the best cure – diving into nature. While I’m watching the trees around me, my mind travels to the Long Dock trail by the river, where I used to stroll in the spring. I picture high trunks climbing to the sky; others, twisted, brushing the soil; and yet others, split in two, that look like a nine-armed Hydra. And a soothing stillness embraces me. And I stay there for hours, and go back in search of comfort.
Beacon’s location is enviable: on the banks of the Hudson river, at the foot of Mount Beacon, and close to Hide Park and the Roosevelt and Vanderbilt estates. Scenic Hudson, the non-profit organization that concerns with renovating public spaces to bring residents closer to nature, have done a great job. They’ve transformed the banks of the Hudson into green parks, among others, Long Dock Park, one of my favorite places to go. Long Dock Park constituted my first stop when I started to work on Vida en la tierra (Life on Earth). Those visits were my initial contact with nature; they made me appreciate it, and Beacon. I learned the difference between living in the country and living in the city; I experienced the calming effect of the greenery, the river, and the silence. Eric, Nathan, and I would go the Riverfront Park (a very large park on the Hudson) or Long Dock to walk, swim, or listen to live concerts. I think I never enjoyed myself more than by sitting on the grass in front of the river and listening to music.
Then I got the injury. Since then, I’ve been going on the deck every day when the days are sunny and mild. Spending my time there, sitting in the wheelchair and feeling the lawn, leaves, and fruits keeping me company, gives me a sense of peace. Whenever I feel angry, impatient, or depressed I resort to the best cure – diving into nature. While I’m watching the trees around me, my mind travels to the Long Dock trail by the river, where I used to stroll in the spring. I picture high trunks climbing to the sky; others, twisted, brushing the soil; and yet others, split in two, that look like a nine-armed Hydra. And a soothing stillness embraces me. And I stay there for hours, and go back in search of comfort.
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