We all heard this: Live each day as if it is your last. But you know what, I never truly made those words alive until I realized I could have died last Saturday if that failed terrorist attempt at Times Square was not a failure. I really didn't realize the magnitude of what happened until I read the newspaper this morning. They said it was milliseconds away from exploding if they (God bless NYPD!) didn't find it and/or (I'm not sure :) if there was no malfunction of a wire thingy (whatever they call it, pardon the foundering of my memory). If it worked --thank God, it didn't-- I can't even start to imagine what would have happened.
So, it was the first summer-like day in New York City. After months of having a moody weather, finally the sun smiled, and the people rejoiced with it.
I went to Times Square with my brother. We were waiting for my friend to join us watch a movie at around 4. So we hang out at Ripley's. They had this cool free show. By cool I mean watching a man hammering a 9-inch (add or subtract) nail in his nose. Believe it or not.
But then, it took my friend 5 minutes before forever to come. So I was like, "Where in the whole wide world are you?!"
But on the second thought, I was like "Take your time..." watching those men in uniform behind me. Just kidding. No, not really.
But when she came, we found out that the movie we were planning to watch is not playing yet. So we decided to go where our feet lead us. And apparently, it led us to the Crossroads of the World.
We had so much fun basking in the warm weather and the diving in the ocean of people. There's just something about Times Square that hypes up one's soul. (And if you can read the first part of my brother's shirt statement... it quite sums up why.)
And sometimes, there could be a fairy tale right in the middle of the concrete jungle.
And you can go crazy without even being deemed crazy at all.
When the clock struck 5:30pm and as the temperature hit 80s, what's the better way to celebrate it than having a blissful cup of ice cream? Of course we couldn't end that day without having one. We then sat right within the radius of explosion if Faisal Shahzad's attempt was successful and if he attempted to do it an hour earlier. But for some reason, we decided to go round and about the city.
Did a little sight seeing.
NYPD-marveling. They are everywhere.
There is no such spot where there's no cop standing. And we should be all thanking for that.
And for quite awhile, we just stood around.
But at 6ish, we aimlessly went to Bryant Park, which we later on realized was a blessing in disguise. We just sat there talking about all things nonsense.
Then after an hour of not knowing what to do, we went back to Times Square for dinner.
And we didn't wonder what's going on with the influx of people in the streets obstructing the traffic. We never asked ourselves why the hell the cops are detouring the flow of the crowd. All we cared that time was we were so darn hungry.
The funny thing about that day was we didn't know there was a bomb scare until I (my friend and my brother went home ahead) got home after midnight. Oh, the pure joy of innocence.
So yeah, what a day it was. And it will be a shame if I didn't learn anything from it. LESSON LEARNED: Life is uncertain, we should not live as if everything's gonna last. Life is short, we should not waste it over something that doesn't matter.
Enjoy life now! After all, "now" is all you've got.
