Gabrielle Donnelly, Creative Narrative

I want to get married here. This is, by far, my favorite place in the universe. There’s nothing quite as peaceful, no part of Manhattan quite as open and quaint. I do some of my best thinking here. Somehow, the fresh air and open space clear my head and allow me to feel alive. Without any doubt or question, I am happy here. Central Park is nice, but there is no unity; no sense of placement in the universe. There are so many different parts and areas, each with their own unique feel and characteristics. Each time I go there, I feel like I’m visiting somewhere new. Central Park is a great place and makes for an amazing experience, but when I feel lost and need to find myself, Bryant Park is where I go.

So often, I feel as though I’m a spark in the universe: a million tiny parts floating out in different directions all searching for different things. Part of me is at home with my family; parts are all searching Manhattan for different adventures and glories; a part of me is at school studying to be the best performer I can be; parts are searching for things and people I’ve lost and who have lost me. But all of these bits of oblivion have one thing in common: they are all searching to discover who I really am and where I belong.

When I feel lost, as if all of the bits of my spark have floated too far from one another, I come to Bryant Park. Maybe it’s the huge, open lawn nestled inside one of the busiest parts of the city that makes me feel like I’ve found a sanctuary amongst chaos. Maybe it’s the way the surrounding buildings create a sort of fence around the park, making me feel tucked into the peaceful bed of grass. Maybe it’s the way the sunshine reflects off of the water in the fountain as visitors make their wishes on pennies, or the way children’s faces light up when they see the Carousel. Something about Bryant Park makes me feel as though all of the pieces of my being have come together in one definite location, reuniting under the sun on the welcoming grass, discovering new things about themselves. Here, I know who I am and all of the answers to the questions I can’t find within myself anywhere else.

Today, I find myself sitting on the patio of the park surrounded by four of my best friends. We are all working independently; three of us writing, one drawing and one taking photos. The sound of the water splashing into the big marble fountain lulls us all into a state of concentration and comfort. We are all focused on separate things, but here, we are together. In fact, we are more of a family as we sit here silently than we ever have been before while talking and sharing ourselves with one another. Today, I’ve found another part of myself within the walls of Bryant Park. I’ve discovered that life is a series of codependent relationships: all things, people and forms of life need other things, people and forms of life to function and survive. The people I’m surrounded by are the ones who help me grow, succeed and live my life the best way possible. We support one another and care for one another in the truest, most honest way. Today, all the bits and pieces of the spark that is me have come together in Bryant Park only to realize that, no matter how spread apart they may be, little parts exist within each of the people I love. Together, as a family, we create and define one another and exist as a sanctuary amongst chaos. We all live busy lives in such a hectic place, but a visit to Bryant Park, the small patch of grass nestled within the giant city, helps us come together in one definite location. Here, I find myself, we find each other and we leave not as sparks floating in different directions in space, but as one bright light.