Rebirth

There is something very special about the people here. Even the shortest interactions seem meaningful. Maybe because there's not much small talk going on? I don't know.

I moved into a bungalow the other day. When I went to register and wrote down my birth date, the woman who was renting me the room looked at it and said, "Oh. I'm older than you." She said she was born in 1970.  I asked what day and she told me she didn't actually know when she was born. Even the year was made up. When she was born, her parents didn't know how to read or write and they didn't get a birth certificate. She doesn't now her birth day, therefore she's never celebrated it. She says that when she is happy, that is her birthday. What a concept! Never celebrating a birthday.

I just celebrated my 40^th. Over the past few weeks, I've talked a lot about my age. I spent the first week here being the only one in my generation… The NYU students were in their 20's and the rest of the staff ranged in age from 50 to mid 60's. I was in the middle – or the "bridge" as they said. I was the only one that could connect the two groups, go either way. I could hang with the "kids", but I could also relate to the adults. It was an interesting experience being in the middle. I didn't fit in anywhere, yet I fit in everywhere. I was ageless. Kinda like my friend at the bungalow.