Oh, New York. Just when I think about breaking up with you, you find something amazing to show me.
I’m not a city girl, or so I thought. My plan was to be in New York City for 2-5 years max. That was the plan 16 years ago, anyways. Needless to say, I’m still here.
Without going into too much detail, I started my post-collegiate life in NY during the dot-com boom. After that, I tested out a number of career options – all amazingly accessible in NYC – before landing in finance for about 10 years. And then, I checked out.
I took some time to travel – both abroad and domestic. I visited friends I hadn’t had time to visit in ages because my hours had been so intense and, frankly, I was exhausted most of the time. I also took a solo road trip to Chicago – just because – with stops in Niagara Falls and at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters.
I also, this past year, started surfing.
Surfing is amazing. It’s terrifying at times, frustrating at others, and so completely exhilarating throughout it all. My competitive nature has led me to be humbled more times than I can count. I was terrible at first, and, now that I’ve gotten a bit of experience in, I’m sometimes “okay”. I am convinced that I will be a beginner for possibly the next five years of my life. But, I love it.
Thanks to surfing, I thought my love affair with NYC was over. I mean, I’ve lived here for over 16 years and have only vaguely heard a few people mention surfing on Long Island (which, by the way, sounded like crazy talk). And then, my wonderful friend Lauren introduced me to the Rockaways, the amazing Kate of Broad Channel and the possibility of surfing within a 35-minute (early morning with no traffic) drive.
The whole experience of waking at 5 a.m., checking for the green (= good) surf report, and heading out to the Rockaways just as the sun makes its debut from below the horizon, illuminating the sky as we barrel down the Belt Parkway as though NY never had any traffic, is awe-inspiring. And this is coming from a verified non-morning person.
Most surf mornings, we pick up our boards, and the amazing Kate, from Broad Channel and head to the beach with sunrise-drenched scenes of Manhattan appearing in the distance.
We don’t talk a lot. No matter how many surfers are out, there’s not a lot of chatter heard on the water. It’s just all of us, on our boards, trying to catch a good wave.
Some days are better than others. But even on the flatter days, it’s hard to beat the feeling of floating on a board just beyond the break, waiting for a wave. And it’s hard to beat the view of Manhattan’s skyline in the morning light as we head back home to start the work day.
I love New York. This city has torn me apart on more than a few occasions, but it surprises me to the upside so much more often than it disappoints.
New York, **ck you. I’m really trying to break up with you and you’re making it so ridiculously difficult as always.
Yours truly,
Jordan
