Soul Magic

Soul Magic

San Francisco Reflection: A Self Portrait

A PERSONAL TRIUMPH
by Nancy J. Leslie

I am still celebrating. I am celebrating me. Hooray for ME!!!! I want to share with you why I am so proud of me.

Six months ago, in the best shape of my adult life, I planned for my first trip to San Francisco. Oh did I have plans. I was going to see Alcatraz, I was going to see Chinatown, I was going to climb Telegraph Hill and see the wild parrots. I was going to go to the top of Coit Tower with my camera and take shots of the city. I was so excited, I just couldn't stand it. I was so excited.

The night before my trip, I was involved in an auto accident. It totaled my car, put me in the hospital for several hours and knocked all the energy and confidence right out of me. The next morning, I still got on the plane with great assistance from my best friends and met my husband in San Francisco. He was already there on business.

When I arrived, battered and bruised, my plans were all out the window. I was barely able to walk, I was heavily medicated and in no shape to do any of the items on my agenda. I was so scuffed up that I couldn't even carry my coveted camera with me to shoot photos. I was weaker than a kitten.

Thankfully my husband was there to support me and our friends Mark and Jeanette drove up from LA and spent some time with us. It was a great time, considering, but not the adventure I had planned. That was in June.

Last week. I returned to San Francisco. Not in the great shape I had been in before the accident, but much stronger and more determined than ever to accomplish my goals. Tuesday was my day to prove something to myself.

On Tuesday, Mark and I got up and had breakfast together, he went to work and I set off on my adventure for the day. I had my camera around my neck and a leather bag over my shoulder. It was a chilly morning (40s) and overcast. I set out into Chinatown.

I walked shooting photos the entire way. I was seeing sights that I had seen before but only recorded in my memory. Now was my chance to capture them digitally. I walked the hills and shot so many photos, I was so pleased that time was of no object to me.

Remembering my last visit, I wanted to revisit my favorite book store, City Lights. When we visited it on the last trip, it seemed like it took all day to get there. I was so tired that walking that far was nearly more than I could handle. I had to stop and take long breathers, I had to sit and rest my tired bruised legs. I was just worn out. Now I am walking along Grant Street and look up and there it is... City Lights! How am I here already? This wasn't a long walk at all!!!!

I scooted up the alley and dropped inside. I didn't have any intention of buying books today. I was just going to use it as my "base camp".

I sat in a nice wooden chair in the corner and pulled out my iPhone. I pressed maps and set it for a starting point at my current location, and asked for walking directions to Telegraph Hill. Now with my directions, I was going to conquer the beast. I was going to climb Telegraph Hill.

From Columbia Avenue, I walked several blocks down Broadway thru strip clubs and smoke shops. Not the best neighborhood, but it was in the morning, it was quiet and somewhat serene. I was on a mission and the surroundings weren't going to sway me. I had an attitude that nobody would dare mess with me... I knew where I was going and I was going to get there and accomplish my goal. Next I turned on Sansome and headed up the street a few blocks until I saw the sign that said "Steps to Coit Tower". I turned left and started to climb.

http://www.sisterbetty.org/stairways/filbertsteps.htm

From the ground, you really can't see the top or how high you will be climbing. I just knew that nothing would dare stop me until I reached my goal... The top of Coit Tower.

About half way up, I was so overheated I ducked to the side of the steps and retreated into my sweatshirt to remove the turtleneck underneath. Successfully losing a layer without losing my dignity, I tied it around my shoulder strap and continued my journey. Nothing was going to stop me. When I reached the final clearing (three blocks straight up) I breathed a sigh of relief. There it was, Coit Tower.

Gasping for air, a girl departing the tower saw me and grinned. "It's really worth it". She said. I was relieved.

I enjoyed the amazing view for a few minutes, then headed indoors. DARN! The stairs were out of commission. After climbing three blocks straight up, they weren't going to let me climb another 21 stories to the top. I was relieved.

I bought my $5 ticket and a $2.50 bottle of water and boarded the elevator to the top.

It was a murky day, but I didn't care. I had just accomplished my goal. I climbed Telegraph Hill. I ascended Coit Tower. I had reached my pinnacle.

Hooray for me!!!!! I wasn't about to lose the smile from my face. I was so proud of me. Here I was, at the top of the world. Time to come down.

I had my photo taken on my iPhone by some other tourists at the top, then I boarded the elevator for my trip back to the bottom of the tower. I thought, "Wow, it can't get any better than this". I walked outside to take photos of the statue out front and there they were, a flock of wild parrots flew by, squawking my praises for achieving such a lofty goal. I had survived. Hooray for me.

For my trip down the hill, I opted for the Greenwich steps, next to the Filbert steps, they provided a more wooded walk on brick steps to go down for the first leg or so of the trip. Nice foliage greeted me and I heard the parrots still flying around squawking my praises. At the bottom of the hill, I caught my reflection in a window and snapped a photo. Today I achieved my goal. I ascended Telegraph Hill, saw the wild parrots and went to the top of Coit Tower.

The rest of the vacation... Well I can do anything I want.

For Soul Magic stories visit: http://www.sfpnn.com/soul_magic.htm