Some Kind of Paradise

I took these on Sunday while walking through Washington Square Park to meet my sister. It was one of those glorious afternoons where the light is practically begging to be photographed. New York is like some kind of paradise this time of year. Seriously, it's hard to describe if you aren't here on a daily basis to witness the transformation, but there's a particular pulse to the city in the spring that makes you remember why you're alive.

I paused to join a sizable cluster of people listening to a street musician. She had a clear, rich voice and hands that flew across the top of her keyboard. A young child--not more than 18 months--kept toddling back and forth across the circle to drop quarters into her case. Every time he did so, the whole crowd cheered. At the end of the set, the musician stepped off her stool and outstretched her arms; first towards the child, and then, towards the sky.

In that moment, I remember clearly thinking, "this is humanity."