in the garden.

last evening, just before supper, we went for a slow stroll up to that kingdom of kingdoms -- central park's conservatory garden. for a fleeting few weeks each year, the park bursts magnificent -- leaves in the fall, blossoms in the spring -- and across each season we watch and wait.

into the garden and onward we went, through sun-dappled benches and petal-strewn paths, around seas of tulips, under branches hanging heavy with blush and white. we passed singles and lovers, artists and readers, fathers and mothers and nannies and friends, little ones making the memories of their childhoods. it was a striking scene of youth and age, aloneness and togetherness, bustle and calm -- all of life, painted before us in a portrait in the garden.

as the sun sank low, we made our way home, me and my one, and i thought of our place in this city -- we are: the takers of walks, the celebraters of everything, the lovers of downtown, the everything bagels not toasted, the weekly bouquet at the corner bodega, the pair who order coffees (only one with milk, please) at the counter of the cafe on 83rd street while the laundry tumbles a block away, the upstairs neighbors who like to vacuum but make up for it by delivering packages from the ground floor -- and i smiled.