August's bloom

August is traditionally a 'quiet' month in New York. New Yorkers say things like "The city is so empty, I love it" or "It's August, not much is happening" while tourists in Times Square look around in wonderment as they've never seen so many people smashed together all in one place in their lives! It's true that many people are away on holiday travels or escaping to the weekend places, squeezing the last golden days of summer in, before September rolls around and it's back in the blender time. But as for 'not much happening'...I'm not so sure about that.

Sometimes on the subway commute if I'm not reading I look at all the different faces and try to imagine what some of them might be thinking, if there was a way to show the invisible thought bubble above their heads. (Hmmm, for some, perhaps I don't want to know!) This morning I happened to think about what might be tucked inside their hearts - the people that live there, and the small seeds of dreams that have been planted, in various stages of growth and neglect.

I must have been thinking about this because in the last few months, some long hoped for seeds among some of my closest friends have taken root, and bloomed. New career paths are being forged by two friends who are reinventing themselves, and for another, a wonderful job has finally emerged after a year long search. Long awaited for babies have been born. A relationship that ended sadly came back to life culminating in a glorious wedding in Italy. Another friend who has been hoping for a new home for several years is finally moving into her dream home next month. And in the last couple of days alone, I learned one friend is joining a new company as its leader, and for another, the first blush of someone special has entered her life.

These are the people in my heart, who I've signed that invisible petition for, watering those seeds next to them.

August may be quiet, but things are happening!