"Things change and friends leave and life doesn't stop for anybody." Stephen Chbosky.
After the release of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" this quote was everywhere. In fact, I can remember avidly using this quote and identifying with it, despite that I was basically a pre-teen who hadn't even been exposed to the basic premise of what this quote was saying. It's funny because when you're younger, you truly don't realize that things won't stay the same forever. It's almost like we yearn for change, and want to grow older and gain independence. Yet, now that I am older I wish that time would slow down. As this quote so eloquently says, life really doesn't stop for anybody although we really wish it would.
What spurred this particular tangent was this past week when I tried to go to one of my favorite bookstores in DUMBO, Brooklyn. I try to visit it every time I am in the area, and it is one of the distinct places I remember in reference to DUMBO considering I visited it the first time I ever went there. I can remember stumbling into the bookstore to escape a winter storm, only to realize that I was in an amazing space. Anyway, after a short walk from the train to the store, my heart sunk as I looked into the big glass windows to see an empty store. No warning, no chance to say goodbye, just emptiness. If I would have known it was leaving, perhaps I would have frequented it more- I would have wanted to commit it to memory.
I think this particular experience was so heartbreaking to me because it was the first time it has happened to me since moving to New York City. After discussing this with others who have lived here their entire lives, this is more of a commonplace occurrence. New York has changed so much over the years and residents witness that. Someone even went so far as to say, I will get used to experiences like the one witnessed above. Now I understand why there is the outcry for "shopping local" because it is truly heartbreaking to watch your favorite businesses disappear.
In reference to this, I suppose I can relate it to the broader picture of growing older in general. Places you used to love either close, or you find yourself losing interest in them. Families that have lived in your neighborhood since you can remember suddenly move out and the house you remember gets remodeled to the point where it no longer looks like what you remember. You encounter peers or friends you haven't seen in years to discover they have a whole new style and look completely different. Often times, I can't even fathom how fast times goes by but we get a reality call when we witness things that we thought to be unchanging change. It is crucial to appreciate the people and places in our life while they are still here because no one really can predict the future, and unfortunately, nothing lasts forever.
