For my memory, I think one of the most prominent moments I remember was when I was sitting in a cafe by the window when it was raining outside. The window looked out into a park in NYC, so it was perfect for people watching. I was reading my book and drinking coffee, listening to the sounds of the rain as ambient noise while music was playing softly in my headphones (they were not noise-cancelling). It felt extremely peaceful.
Sitting by this window, I saw people running away from the rain, but also saw the slowness of people enjoying a walk under their umbrellas, free from the water dripping down from the sky. I heard children laughing as they splashed in puddles and cars honking as the drivers tried to navigate the slippery roads in the traffic. From the coffeeshop itself, I heard the coffee being made, and people having various conversations as the soft French music in the cafe played in the background. This is one of the moments I had cherished most, because as I grew older and became busier, I haven’t had moments to just enjoy sitting in a cafe in a very long time.