There’s so much to love about Central park. It’s hard to jump in and not sound trite or cliché, but there’s something about a cliché that’s true – otherwise it would not be repeated to death.
While we were there the other week, I found myself enjoying the moments that were many and close together – and the accumulation of different experiences of the moment – as with the majesty of the allee of elms leading towards the Bethesda fountain and the stunningly beautiful landing there overlooking a pond. Contrast that to the ramble just on the other side of the pond, a beautiful, wild warren of paths and rustic benches and fences overlooking the formality of the fountain and the iconic skyline of mid-town beyond. Through out the park, there are vignettes of landscapes that offer the city dweller glimpses of diverse ecosystems and diverse approaches to experiencing the landscape. How marvelous to be able to experience such a range of landscape in such a small space….
It’s amazing, and timeless. To me, nothing feels fussy or dated. Walking in the wild behind my house, I felt some of the same feelings as I did in Central Park at times. It’s powerful to be able to conjure those sensations in people in any place, let alone over a hundred years later, and in one of the most densely populated places on the planet.
