When I first came to the city of Boston, I was drawn to the beauty of the masonry throughout the city. The Brownstones in the Back Bay, the hues of red and brown woven throughout the South End, the interior and exterior brick seen throughout the city. When I moved into my very own apartment in the North End this past summer, it was truly a dream come true to have exposed brick on the inside of my very own home. I had long dreamed of living inside an apartment just like this, and still sometimes have to pinch myself as a sit here on my couch surrounded by beautiful brick walls. I often find myself waking in the morning, only to reach over my head and touch the brick wall, a reminder to be strong and remain grounded in this life which often feels so unsteady. These bricks remind me of the foundation upon which I have built my life, the strength of my character, and the walls that keep me safe and make me who I am. However, as I was running this morning on a cold but beautiful winter day, I was soaking in the sights when I hit a patch of ice and thought holy sh*t these bricks are slick! As I looked ahead at the brick sidewalk lining the harbor, and the masonry of the buildings surrounding me on each side, I suddenly realized, life is just like that.
These bricks which build our walls and create the foundation upon which we walk, give us strength and structure as we move forward in this journey of life. They form the roads that lead us down new paths and line the doors that open around each turn. And yet, there are times in which these walls come crumbling down, as we feel the walls closing in the ground slipping away beneath our feet. We stretch to find our footing, only to find that point just beyond our reach. No matter how hard we try to get our hold, on these cold winter days with the iced covered roads, the solid ground feels just beyond our reach, but it is always there beneath it all. The sun will come again, melting the ice and giving us back our solid ground, allowing us again to gain speed while putting once foot in front of the other. When life get slicks, and our foundation feels unsteady, it’s okay to slow down. Life is like that. There will again be days when we speed up, when the world feels on fire and we move forward full speed ahead. But today was a day to slow down, a day to take good care of myself as I navigated this slippery path. Remember, it’s okay to slow down sometimes, because no matter how strong our walls or foundation may be, sometimes, life is just like that.