Taking in architectural or building features is like eating a single piece of fruit. We can enjoy the sight, texture, and wonder of each element. I have always loved looking at buildings and landscapes but for a long time I wasn\u2019t sure why. Then it became apparent over time that the details (among other qualities) \u2013 a mosaic, a terra cotta figure, a soaring spire, a sleek curve, a mix of stone \u2013 have provided such pleasure. When I gaze at the cherubs on the exterior of the Alwyn Court building<\/a>, I marvel at their expressions and their fingers, toes, and bellies rendered in terra cotta as soft as flesh. Similarly, I feel a world of creatures come alive in the mosaic \u201cWhen the Animals Speak\u201d on the 34th<\/sup> Street\/Penn Station subway platform.<\/p>\n The angelic figures look down from above at Alwyn Court<\/strong><\/p>\n A segment of Elizabeth Grajales’ “When the Animals Speak”<\/strong><\/p>\n Inviting Aimlessness<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n We often live in our heads more than in our surroundings. We walk with the purpose to get someplace, and our minds are filled with the next deadline, what we will do at our next meeting, what our conversation was with our spouse last night, what our plans will be for the evening or weekend. As I walk in New York and elsewhere, I have found that if I can introduce the slightest bit of aimlessness, slow down for at least a few steps, and breathe deeply, I see many exquisite details and shapes in the buildings and spaces. It is grounding and relaxing, and it creates many happy and serene moments. Something in looking at the eagle on the former subway powerhouse<\/a> on 11th<\/sup> Avenue, for instance, brings an instant and yet deep sense of power and beauty. Or, a mural that someone has painted on a door of P.S. 152, the School of Science and Technology in Brooklyn, creates a light, joyful feeling.<\/p>\n A watchful eagle on the former New York subway powerhouse<\/strong><\/p>\n A mural of vibrant colors on a door at P.S. 152 in Brooklyn<\/strong><\/p>\n This experience is available to us at any time, even with demands and difficulties or when one is filled with anger, sadness, or grief. \u00a0I remember the day during 1994 that I had to put to sleep my very beloved pet cat, who had been a cherished companion during some difficult times. The sun seemed blinding as I walked with a friend through Central Park. We sat in a gazebo, and I can still see in my mind\u2019s eye the delicate, crafted wooden spindles of that gazebo. It was almost as if someone had created this seat generations ago knowing I would need it and find solace that day. Carefully crafted features speak across the ages and affirm eternity.<\/p>\n When we quiet our minds, details allow us to interact with buildings and landscapes, and we can sense their presence or have a vision from another time period. The building at 1 Broadway (known as the International Mercantile Marine Company Building<\/a>) in Lower Manhattan prompts such a scene from another era when I look up at its mosaic and terra cotta shields, which have the names of international destinations on them \u2013 Liverpool, Gibraltar, Montevideo, Cherbourg, Melbourne, and others. I can sense the travelers who came to this building in the early 20th<\/sup> century to buy their tickets for an ocean voyage. I feel the breezes coming off the New York Harbor and think of its connection to those faraway places. This is how the special touches on a building have a potential to transport us and enliven our imaginations.<\/p>\n![\"Cherubs](\"http:\/\/farm7.static.flickr.com\/6140\/6012276088_54a6ca97bc.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Mural](\"http:\/\/farm7.static.flickr.com\/6007\/6012302282_8df606c281.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Eagle](\"http:\/\/farm7.static.flickr.com\/6139\/6012344388_dc15b2bac2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Mural](\"http:\/\/farm7.static.flickr.com\/6022\/6011924679_fbe521afd3.jpg\")
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![\"Liverpool](\"http:\/\/farm7.static.flickr.com\/6001\/6011857035_c1c5ffbc81.jpg\")
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