They say “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” While many of us remain in New York City, the heart of the jewelry industry and the home of our beloved JA New York Shows, throughout this current, COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves missing the New York City that we used to know. We’re all doing our part to “flatten the curve” and make way for the health care providers and other essential workers to go above and beyond the call of duty to keep us all safe and sane. We all shelter in place, and at 7pm every evening, we lean out our windows, ascend to our roofs or head out to our fire escapes to hoot and holler our praise and gratitude for these modern-day heroes. For many of us, that’s the only real interaction we have outside of our computer or phone screens all day. Everything else is at a stand still, no congested sidewalks, no throngs of tourists, no unnecessarily beeping horns.
New York Times writer Roger Cohen wrote a poignant op-ed in last weekend’s paper entitled, “Come Back, New York, All is Forgiven.” In the article, Cohen laments the countless times he’s complained about many of the things that make New York City, well, New York City! “I forgive you, New York. I forgive you your snarl, your aggression, your hustle and hassle. I forgive you LaGuardia and your summer stench of uncollected garbage. I forgive you no cabs in the rain. I forgive you the crusty, deceptive puddles of slush at curbside. I even forgive you the Mets and no place to park and delivery trucks in the bike lane.”
A friend of mine once sent me a clip of a New Yorker cartoon that, at the time, resonated with me. It shows a man walking down a New York City sidewalk wearing, not the ubiquitous “I Heart NY” t-shirt, but one that reads, “I have mixed feelings about NY.” Back when I took this great city for granted, which I must admit, has been true, on and off, for the last 25 years I’ve lived here, I would have donned that t-shirt proudly (with a healthy dose of mirth!). Now though? Now, I say, resoundingly, I HEART NEW YORK! And I can’t wait to be back in the throws of your grit, your vigor, your dive bars, your book shops, your crowded subways, your surly cab drivers, your congested sidewalks, your outdoor cafes…I will never take you for granted again, and for the rest of my life, at 7pm, I will always take a moment to bow my head in gratitude for your essential workers.
