Two iconic cities, two iconic beasts

Last week, I visited New York for the first time.

Of course, I had to visit the Empire State Building. And of course, I had to take one of those tourist photos with King Kong appearing in the background.

As I was looking at the photo later, it brought back a memory from my time in Tokyo.

Back in 2015, while I was living there, the head of Godzilla was installed on top of the Hotel Gracery in Shinjuku. It quickly became one of those landmarks that everyone seemed to photograph. Whether you were a tourist or a resident, you couldn't help but look up and smile.

And that's when it struck me.

New York has King Kong.

Tokyo has Godzilla.

Two iconic cities. Two iconic beasts.

I've been fortunate enough to spend meaningful time in both.

When I first moved to Tokyo, everything felt new. Every train ride, every neighborhood, every restaurant and every encounter taught me something. Curiosity came naturally because I was constantly discovering things for the first time.

Walking around New York last week, I felt some of that same energy again. The feeling of looking up more. Paying attention more. Noticing details that residents probably walk past every day without a second thought.

Travel has a funny way of doing that.

It reminds us how present we can be when we're somewhere new.

The real challenge, of course, is bringing that same mindset back home.

How often do we stop noticing the places we see every day? How often do we rush from one appointment to the next without looking up? How often do we tell ourselves we'll pay attention once things become a little less busy?

King Kong and Godzilla have little in common with mindfulness.

Or maybe they do.

Both made me stop.

Both made me look up.

Both reminded me that sometimes the most memorable moments happen when we're fully present and allow ourselves to experience a place with curiosity and wonder.

A silly photo in New York brought back a wonderful memory from Tokyo.

Not a bad reminder for a Monday morning.