I went to Highbridge park with some friends the other day. We decided to go there randomly, so we bought some food at a deli and walked over. On the way, it was… really nice. There were actually a lot more people out than I expected. In my neighborhood it’s been quiet since quarantine started, with the exception of a few people blasting their music to share with everyone within a two mile radius. There were families gathered all along the park’s edge, and I could hear a lot of chatter. I mostly heard conversations being held in Spanish, which I’m pretty rusty in. As we walked inside, I saw the park lights being turned on, and they emitted that iconic yellow-orange color in pretty low amounts. We sat down in the park field, where the light barely reached. It was so peaceful, just sitting in the grass and taking it all in. I could see the lights from all the buildings along the block, and also the other people who were having fun in the field. I smelled barbecue, grass, and the sandwiches we bought. There was a lot of noise too. The families in the field were laughing and talking about the food and making jokes with each other. At some point one of the women mentioned wanting to come out again the next day because she was really tired of being inside. It had been a while since she enjoyed herself with her family. It was really nice hearing them talk so positively instead of just complaining about the state of things. Refreshing, even. Then, I saw a flash of light, and a second later came a huge bang. Someone had broken out the fireworks. As they got started with the next round, I enjoyed the cool breeze on my skin and was really grateful for the lack of humidity. I can handle heat, but that kills me. Overall, there was definitely a lot going on, but I was content, which surprised me. I was nervous about going out somewhere with lots of people. It made me want to start exploring more.