A servant of all

Last week New York hosted the coldest weather I’ve ever experienced. This is my fourth winter here, and while I actually prefer Northeastern winters to Texas winters, the temperatures last Thursday and Friday were anything but pleasant. I’ve been dubbed a freak for my sincere feeling that cold weather is invigorating. Perhaps it was growing up amidst fickle Texas weather that inclines me towards a good hard winter, but in any case I usually enjoy it. But not last week. Last Friday morning I checked weather.com before leaving my house, as usual, and was met by the sobering news that the wind chill was -5°F. -5°?!? I didn’t even know what that felt like. Well… now I do. No amount of layers guards against a wind chill of -5°F. The ten minute walk from the train to work that morning rendered my face and legs numb. Every time I stepped outside my muscles tensed up and ached, and my entire body felt like a perpetual brain freeze. But it’s given me a new perspective… the forecast for tomorrow (high of 36°F) thrills me... I won’t even need a hat and gloves!

Last Thursday I was in the Lower Lobby of the Empire State Building waiting for a friend to get out of a meeting so we could grab coffee. Suddenly a crowd of people formed in front of the television in the lobby, and when I went to join them I heard a woman who had just come from the observation deck saying that she’d just seen a plane land in the Hudson River. For the next 45 minutes, the crowd grew as we watched the event unfold:

It’s been dubbed “The Miracle on the Hudson”, because all 155 people aboard the plane survived. But a swim in that wicked cold river is not what those people expected when they woke up that morning.

I also came across this video last week:




I watched fellow Texan (yes, I did just admit it) Jason Castro on the last season of American Idol, and was drawn to his pretty blue eyes and crooked smile more than to his performances. But this video made me like him more; and appreciate his ability and willingness to articulate his faith so effectively. When asked about his life goals, Jason said he wants to be a servant of all. Oh that this would be the answer launching from my tongue whenever I'm faced with that all-too-frequent question!

The long weekend was a pleasure. I took it easy: spent some time organizing and sorting, reading, watching movies, and playing guitar. The spontaneous worship session on my sofa with my roommates and soup night at the Walkers were highlights. Now I'm back into the swing of routine, with classes and work and commuting and homework filling up my hours. It's a nice place to be, for right now... a cozy comfort zone.

A question: since when is "hot" spelled with two t's? I observe with chagrin that Facebook is mutilating our written language skills.