New York/Nashville/New York

NEW YORK CITY – Jan. 23, 2010 – I never disliked Nashville. And I never really liked it liked it. But Lois and I decided to stop being TV gypsies. We'd left New York City back in '88, moved to Pennsylvania, then Louisiana. But once we got to Nashville, we settled in and made the most of it.

We made wonderful loving, supportive friends. And when she got sick and died, I was surrounded by prayers and love and support.

And before that, for 15 years in Nashville, she and I had great times together. I was deliriously happy being with her. Really! For the whole 25 years. Pretty remarkable, especially considering my track record of four marriages.

But I always had this “other woman” in the back of my mind: New York City. It was something I never mentioned to her. But with her passing two years ago, I explored other horizons. Berlin. Dresden. Even considered Paris. But none of them was a “fit”.

I'm back again and New York City is a fit!

I just returned from a round trip from New York to Nashville, driving my 2001 Mazda pick-up and darling schnauzer Bekka back to Nashville. Then I flew back. Alone. Now here I am in The City. No pet, no vehicle. Wide open agenda.

Driving down there on Thursday and Friday, I had a lot of time to think. Radio reception was pretty staticky. I thought about Nashville. And I thought about New York City. It's easier to move on when you really dislike your circumstances. A relationship that’s gone sour, a job that’s not working out, a city that you hate. I have none of that. Nashville is a wonderful, warm, inviting, friendly place. Even the security people at the Nashville airport recognized me from television. Kinda nice. I slept in my own bed back in Nashville last night, snuggled under the covers with Bekka.

So there’s lots of reasons to stay there. But it’s a matter of a choice. Chocolate or vanilla?

So I’ve made my choice: New York City. My friend Jan Esterline and his wife Debbie have been wonderfully loving to me for these past three years, letting Lois and me and, later, me live with them. With my doggie. They say I’m “family”, that I will always have a place to live with them. Jan gave a wry smile when I told him of my choice. “That sounds right to me,” he said. “You’ve always been more of a New Yorker than a Nashville person”.

And he’s right. I got off the plane at LaGuardia this afternoon, found my way immediately to the airport bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal, walked home up 9th Avenue after stopping at the local market for a can of Progresso soup and some Lipton tea bags.

Now I’m here. I’m home. Like slipping on an old familiar well-worn glove. No idea what’s next. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have one or two ideas. But I don’t really know what’s in store. But I have full confidence that it’s something good.

Last Thursday morning as I was getting on a commuter train at Penn Station, I had this flash of insight. It was a word from God. Now don’t get all weird on me. I didn’t hear an audible voice. But I had this impression on my heart that went like this:

“You’re exactly where I want you to be. Keep on doing what you’re doing and I will direct you.”

So what I need to do is keep on plugging, sharpening my spiritual hearing and go where the Boss says to go.

Pretty cool, isn’t it?

Copyright 2010 James C. Lewis