Maybe I’m just feeling nostalgic these days but right now but I’m walking through Alexanderplatz which is essentially a sewer. I avoid transferring through here at all costs because it’s massive, gross and touristy. Today my route led me here so I’ll try to take my negative feelings about this place and channel them into some good memories instead. How’s that for reframing?
When I was walking through the SBahn portion of the station, I remembered running frantically through these halls on the morning of the Berlin marathon in September. I was here to meet my best friend, Carly, who flew over an entire ocean to see me. She didn’t have cell phone service and there wasn’t a way to get in touch with her. I remember standing on a random platform looking all around when a train moved and there she was. This moment lives in the core memories. The relief and joy I felt to see her standing there… a feeling I can’t even put into words.
And a few months later, Peter would turn 36. His birthday is on Valentine’s Day and I find that to be adorable. I woke up early that morning and brought him donuts and we celebrated another year of Peter! He had to go to work so I rode the u2 with him to Alexanderplatz. On his own birthday, he snuck into a flower shop and bought me a little flower plant for Valentine’s Day. This was a small but mighty gesture that exhibited compassion in a vulnerable moment (for me).
Alexanderplatz: a piss soaked underground bunker filled with decent memories after all.