Surprise! My Christmas Trip To New York

I used to always fantasize about far-flung places; picnicking beside the Eiffel Tower, climbing the Great Wall of China, hiking Machu Picchu, bathing in the Blue Lagoon under the Midnight Sun in Iceland, riding along Amsterdam's canals and seeing the floating flower market in spring. But when I had cancer, the most magical place in the world was home. I just wanted to go home, more than anything. Especially at Christmas. The thought of never seeing New York at Christmastime again sickened me. So I resolved that when I completed radiation at the end of Thanksgiving, I would get my strength up for a surprise trip to New York with my baby to visit my friends and family.

We flew in a few days before Christmas, and left on Christmas Eve. I had a great time catching up with old friends, seeing my mom and little brother, meeting my Aunt and Uncle for lunch. I especially loved surprising my best friend with a night in the East Village, hotel and everything! It had twin beds, and she called it the ''I Love Lucy'' room. It was adorable. I met up with my childhood best friend while we there, and we had drinks together for the first time ever as adults!

On the roof of our East Village hotel before setting out on our quest to find eggs benedict, December 23, 2017.

It was a wonderful experience, walking through the city, everything lit up and and wonderful. It was just as I remembered it.

We had drinks in cozy dive bars, a light meal at my old favorite, Pommes Frittes, strolled through The Met, raced around Penn Station trying to catch the next train. I forgot how much I missed subways and trains and the smell of the city. I know that sounds weird, totally weird, but it's true. The smell of fresh pizza, and bouquets of flowers, and coffee brewing, and taxi exhaust, all of it.

I guess it's true: You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

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