Starting in the early 1960s and for years afterward during the summer months, we fled New York City for the Hamptons at every opportunity. I could not be bribed into staying in New York City for a long holiday weekend. I was drawn to the country with its open spaces, white beaches, and fresh air. In the 1970s, I finally convinced my family to move out to the Hamptons permanently.
I left corporate law and started a country practice of my own for real estate, family law and some litigation. Today, some 50 years later, I still have my East Hampton firm, but surprisingly, I am spending Labor Day weekend in New York City, at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Arthur Ashe stadium. Who would’ve thought? Change in direction comes to all of us. At this stage of my life, I am more open to new adventures. Some may not believe that going to a grand slam tennis tournament is adventuresome, but it is an exciting experience and an outcome of my renewed enthusiasm to play tennis again after what seems like a lifetime since I played in high school.
I am always driven to look for something new in life. I try to travel outside the parameters of what is cozy and secure. It is reflected in my professional work when I lean into an argument that was a dissent in a previous case. I look to redefine precedents to reflect current times and needs. I speak often of living in the present. Every day is a new opportunity to venture out– beyond the Hamptons and even New York. Maine has been a regular source of adventure for the past five years. Exploring the backwoods and lakes in Washington and Aroostook counties in my 1973 Series 3 Defender. Fishing the morning on Spudnick Lake. Swimming off my dock in the cove.
I write these columns to record my experiences on paper. Painting and sketching along the shore and in the wilderness are other means of adventure and self-expression. I am indeed fortunate to have the companionship and family support that allow me to do these things. I am mindful every day of those who are unable or unwilling to venture out. The barriers are often money or family responsibilities. Yet there is some adventure for everyone.
Leaving Arthur Ashe stadium today we drove through Flushing Meadows in Queens. There were hundreds of families picnicking, playing volleyball and soccer. Predominantly Hispanic from the music wafting throughout, this community of New Yorkers found their weekend adventures, and relaxation. A Sunday in the park, free of workday demands, some on blankets basking in the sun, babies quiet in their mother’s arms, their own country landscape.
