Hadiza's home matches exactly as the pictures and description: beautiful, inspiring, spacious, with opportunities to cozy up in different areas (I sat in every available corner/chair and enjoyed myself :) ). It was my home away from home, one I literally referred to as "home" when letting friends and family know I made it back safely, one I looked forward to returning to and decompress after a full day's adventure, one I enjoyed staying in just to read and drink tea. There are several train stations nearby, and the A and C line (which you can easily hop on if arriving via Penn Station) was a 20 min walk away. Can we talk about the walks for a second? It was my absolute favorite part of the trip. Walking to/from/around Hadiza's place/neighborhood filled me with a sense of BedStuy's richness, of community, and a deep history I still need to learn more about. My senses were gifted with scents of food cooking right on the sidewalk and different music on every block. Definitely recommend Hadiza's recommendation to a local Black-owned wellness center (6-minute walk) and to support the other small businesses along the way. I also enjoyed walking to Fort Greene and Prospect Heights from her place (30-45 minutes; apparently I was really lucky with the weather). Even on the one rainy day, I was fortunate that Hadiza's home provided umbrellas. I was also grateful to be able to utilize the iron and kitchen. While I didn't cook this trip, I saw she provided cooking supplies and even some spices and oil. Vegan food options are available nearby or a train away.
Now for the cherry on top of the lovely home: Hadiza herself. I was not expecting such a grateful and delightful alignment. Hadiza's energy, view on life, conversations—were all such a gift. Even as I write this, there aren't so much words as there is a feeling of peace, happiness, and gratitude. When I reflect on our conversations (both in-person and via text), my shoulders relax and I can't help but sigh and smile. I've gotten use to self-person check-ins so I was surprised when she came down to greet me and give me the tour. And as we spoke, it felt as if I was being reunited with a friend that I hadn't seen in a long time, excited to hear where we were in life and that our interests, inspiration, and processing shared similarities. (Her artwork—which is what's on the walls in the stay, btw!—are so inspiring.) I briefly met her husband and child, and they all seemed like beautiful, intentional people.
Thank you, Hadiza. I hope there are more alignments in your life—reminders, affirmations, mirrors, and support of the gifts you possess and share with the rest of the world. Thank you for being you and sharing that with me. So grateful for our encounter. May abundance, ease, and grounding always find you.
we
return to each
other
in waves.
this is how water
loves.
— nayyirah waheed