I was standing on 9th Ave nonchalantly observing my surroundings while listening to a podcast, waiting for the traffic light to change so that I could cross the street. When I got the okay to walk signal, naturally, I began marching towards the other side of the road.
After taking three steps, 1-2-3, without warning, my left foot landed in an uneven section of the sidewalk, causing me to lose my balance. The next thing I knew, all of my body weight shifted forward rapidly, and I was headed straight towards the ground. Yikes!
Interestingly enough, I vividly recall processing what was happening during this moment as I tried to regain control of my balance or prepare to brace for impact!
Fortunately, I somehow recovered within 1.5 seconds and avoided hitting the pavement, a close call, for sure, but I did tweak my ankle. What's more, two women were walking right beside me as this drama unfolded, watching in horror the entire time.
Of course, I tried to play it cool as if nothing happened; however, when I resumed walking in a typical fashion, I made eye contact with one of the ladies, who asked me if I was okay.
I have to admit, the concern she showed was admirable, especially for a total stranger, and I thanked her kindly. We then had a pleasant exchange that concluded with two friendly smiles, and everyone kept it moving.
Funnily enough, we were all headed to the same eatery located near the bus stop in the photo to get a bite to eat, and I remember thinking, I hope they don't think I am following them now. Lol!
Upon arriving at the restaurant's main entrance simultaneously, I held the door open for them, and while waiting to be seated, I formally introduced myself. Seize the moment!
We had some more friendly banter, which led to us sitting together outside at one of the red umbrella tables on the cobblestone sidewalk. Then, we had a fascinating conversation about mindfulness, the beauty of living in the present moment, and the law of attraction. Love it!
So, in the end, I made two new friends, got invited to an upcoming professional networking event in SoHo, and departed grateful for another serendipitous experience. In other words, it was just another spontaneous evening adventure in Gotham City, followed by my customary five to ten minutes of writing about the encounter in my journal. 😊
Enjoy the present moment and your evening. Let's go!
#mindfulness #networking #nyc
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