All of the things you know about New York City are true: it’s crowded, it’s fast-paced, it’s thrumming with energy. And it’s true of the residents who live there: they’re busy, they’re never not on-the-go, they’re unfailingly preoccupied with whatever they have going on in their lives. I take comfort in this great NYC paradox — to be surrounded by others, to experience this unsaid collective belonging even when you’re utterly alone. So, as someone who’s lived here for more than a decade, I know it takes a lot to break that barrier, broach a complete stranger, and burst the bubble in which we all separately exist.
