Everything is new again

I never really thought about it before.

Today, I was walking my dog and happened to notice the color. The sky was shades of gray with white blue swirls. There were sunbeams peeking out from the clouds and the birds were flying overhead. Even with the chill in the air, I felt warm. All around me there was color and life. I never really thought of it before.

This is the property surrounding the Central Terminal. I live in her shadow.

Since I moved here 15 years ago, I’ve watched the evolution! When I first moved in, there were mounds of dirt and garbage. The tire piles were huge. You couldn’t walk around the parking lot, there was too much trash, crumbled pavement and broken glass; walking around was considered unsafe. There were many nights of fire, with flaming invoices from years long past, billowing out the windows. The sound of vandals screaming from the towers and breaking glass was nothing new.

Then something happened. Someone showed they cared. Crews of volunteers started cleaning up the property. Then the roof got fixed. The windows were patched. The towers were magically lit. The clocks restored. New pavement. New trees. Old trees carved into new treasures! Daffodils! I even think I saw a cherry tree in full blossom today!

Every day, one of my dogs and I take our walk. My puppy is in training, so he gets unleashed; I only hope that he’ll remember to pay attention to me when I call. He’s so busy chasing bunnies and birds and smelling all the good smells of spring that he forgets himself! My other dog has short legs and tries her best to keep up, but she always stops to smell the flowers.

The three of us treasure this building. We are thankful for all the love and hard work that has made this such a wonderful place to walk and enjoy.

I’m noticing new faces. I’m noticing other people walking their dogs. I’m noticing other people walking the concourse. Just yesterday, I saw a little boy clutching his grandfather’s hand as they enjoyed the scenery. Grand dad was pointing to something high in the tower; it was probably the family of hawks that are living in there. On Fridays, if I’m lucky, I’ll even get to watch Cousin Kelly work on his tree carvings! 

Each night, I look up from my bed through my window and can see the clocks in the tower. Each morning, I wake up to the same. Without it, I’d be lost.

I have always had faith that this building would return to her former glory. They say it won’t happen. I say it will. When I notice that the parking lot is full and there are cars lining Memorial Drive all the way from Fillmore to Broadway, I know great things are happening. It’s a beginning. It’s only the spring for the Terminal! With spring, everything is new again!

My advice? Dust yourself off after the long winter. Leash up your dog and head over to the terminal. Look for the hawks in the tower (or watch them hunt!) Notice the rabbits and the woodchucks. Enjoy the old trees that were painstakingly turned into artwork. Try to identify all the different types of trees that are starting to wake up from their naps. Watch the kids rollerblade. Take a few pictures. Enjoy the peace and quiet that you rarely find smack dab in the center of a city. People have worked hard to beautify the area. Enjoy their work! (And volunteer for their cleanup, especially if you enjoyed yourself!)