I was on the subway when an older woman sat down next to me in slow motion. I had to compliment her.
“You did that so gracefully,” I said.
“Well at my age, you have to do everything gracefully,” she said.
“How old are you?”
“100. Today.”
“Today’s your 100th birthday?”
“It is.”
“How does it feel?”
“Good, just like my other days. I have a great life.”
“Have you lived in New York your whole life?”
“I have. What about you?”
“I’ve lived here for a number of years, but I’m moving to Florida this week.”
“You’ll come back.”
“You think?”
“Oh, yes. Everyone always comes back eventually.”
“Well, I’d love to come back with more money,” I joked.
“You will. You’ll see,” she said without any trace of joking. “Oh, this is my stop.”
She stood up just as gracefully as she sat down.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Irene,” she said, shaking my hand. “What’s yours?”
“Christa.”
“You go enjoy your life, Christa. I’ll see you when you get back.”
She smiled wide and exited the train. It’s encounters like this that make me realize New York is a great city and that angels live among us. Once the subway doors closed, I seriously wondered if I had just met a person named Irene or if imagined her. Either way, I plan to take her advice.
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Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I was on the subway when an older woman sat down next to me in slow motion. I had to compliment her.
Christa Avampato 