The Raw Chef Blog

Before I get started, I just wanted to remind you that anything that I’m up to that isn’t related to being happy, healthy or raw (the first two being a result of the latter) gets posted in my personal journal so anyone who doesn’t want to hear about every detail of my life can just get straight to the good stuff.

I’ve just been writing a personal blog post about my general maneuvers around NYC over the first week and something occurred to me that I want to share here.

I’ve just moved into a hostel and as soon as I opened the door to my private room I was disappointed.  There’s no TV, the flooring isn’t great, it’s smells a bit and the shower doesn’t look as if it would even wash the shampoo out of my hair.  I haven’t even unpacked my suitcase because I don’t want to fully acknowledge that I’m staying.

So I decided to get a train downtown where I like life a lot better than right up here at 96th Street.  I got off at Union Square and walked up to Pure Juice & Takeaway to grab some comfort food.  Despite not being particularly hungry I bought some chocolate cherry biscotti, a pinacolada (coco meat, coco water, coco oil and pineapple) and some tacos.

So then I walked up to 23rd Street and caught the train to Central park thinking that I’d get on another train to take me back to the hostel.  As I walked my eye was caught by the bright lights of Times Square and I was drawn like a moth to a lamp.  I’ve been to Times square already this week but it was during the day and I was slightly disappointed I have to say.  But at night it’s a whole different situation!  It was beautiful (in a man-made, overpowering, bright, in-yer-face type of way).
It certainly took the edge off my dissatisfaction about my new temporary accommodation.

As I walked further, I passed a homeless guy who was clearly having trouble ‘keeping things together’ and I had a moment of clarity.  I realised how much abundance I have in my life - here I am feeling bad about a room I’m not too keen on, carrying a bag full of amazing food, having the trip of a lifetime, walking through the famous Times Square and looking forward to checking my email on my laptop via wireless internet access.  The list of things I could be grateful for just goes on and on.

Sometimes it can be so easy to feel a sense of loss even though we’re surrounded by such abundance and the antidote is gratitude, being grateful of what you have whilst in search of what you want.  I’m constantly surprised at my ability to forget that.

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