You know those moments when something incredibly important shifts for you but you don’t know it until years later? My brother Chris is responsible for one of those moments in my life that has forever altered my trajectory.
Always one to go out of his way, Chris (26 at the time) decided to take me shopping in New York City for my 16th birthday. I had been to New York several times growing up to see shows, but never to shop. Even for a pseudo-tomboy like me, this sounded dreamy.
If I remember correctly, when the big day came we drove into the city (a treat in and of itself) and spent the morning walking around SoHo where we found a hip outdoor market happening. After purchasing a very short, very tight, very cute black and white dress, we ate lunch and sat on a park bench people-watching.
And then came one of those moments.
Sitting on a sunny New York street, I became aware, for the very first time, that this world – this WHOLE world – was available to me. I could see myself going to college in a big city and traveling the world. I could imagine the interesting people I would meet and the diversity of food I might try.
So much of this is because of Chris. In his early 20s, he was traveling to Moscow and Tokyo and London on business. He went to Carnival in Rio De Janeiro and trekked through Southeast Asia. And he took his little sister to the big city and regaled her (I am sure) with tales of his travels. In other words, Chris never let the world seem small to him which made it seem accessible to me.
(At the Grand Canyon in 1999.)
As I look back at my decision to go to college in California or I remember eating a conch pistol in the Bahamas or I take note of my immediate plans to travel to Africa for the first time, I must say a prayer of thanks for Chris. For he not only introduced me to Thai food and hot sauce and Russian nesting dolls; somewhere along the way, he taught me how to introduce myself to the world.
How different my life would be without that!
