My studio (http://www.sanctuarypoweryoga.com/) is located on East Main St. in Torrington, CT (the website address is Franklin St - that's our entrance in the back of the building).
I recently read an article in the local paper that talked about the location of a municipal parking lot relative to Main St., Torrington. The point of the article was to address complaints about lack of parking on Main St., and the article showed that the walk from the parking lot to Main St. wasn't much father than walking thru one of those big "box" stores. What surprised me was the critical response that this article drew from readers. (I'm intentionally not going to get into that here).
I moved back to Northwest CT few months ago after living in the Boston area for years. For years, I drove 60-90 in minutes in traffic into Boston to work & teach. Now I drive 10 minutes to teach at my studio (no traffic!). Have you ever tried to find a parking spot on a busy day in Boston?! Have you tried crossing the street in Boston?! Yikes!!! For me, parking & walking in Torrington is no big deal. I walk from my studio to the stores on Main St. every week. I walk to the Library, which is next to the Municipal Lot. I walk with my 2 year old - we go for smoothies & the talk with other business owners. I like being "downtown".
Torrington was a thriving factory town at one point in time. Over the years, Main St. Torrington has gone the way of Main St. America. Stores have moved out, some storefronts are vacant. People choose to shop on-line or visit big chain stores. There's not alot of foot traffic. Main St. Torrington, like many Main Streets across the country, is not what it used to be.
But, Main St. Torrington also has some real bright spots. There are some great stores & restaurants - all owned by really great people. And there are alot of people who see the potential in the town & who are making an effort to improve it, as best they can.
Like I said, compared to Boston, driving, parking & walking in Torrington is a piece of cake! And Torrington has some great people with great businesses. They've been supportive of us & the studio & for that I am truly grateful. I could never have opened this studio in the Boston area. For me, while Torrington does need improvement, it is also a place that holds great potential. It may never be what it was, but who knows, maybe it can be something better. It just depends on how you look at it.
It's like anything in your life. The way you see things is everything. It doesn't matter where you live or what you do. If you want to feel better & be happier, look for the bright spots. Find gratitude whenever you can. A little shift in the way you see things makes a big difference. You'll create a shift in your life. You will feel better & happier. You'll find more to be happy about, more often. And then that shift will be felt & shared by others.
Gandhi said "be the change you want to see in the world".
No comments:
Post a Comment