Having grown up within daily eye sight of Dorchester Bay and the J.F.K. Library, I have a natural predisposition to be near a body of water.
My childhood home in Neponset sits within walking distance of Tenean Beach and I often crossed over the Beades Memorial Draw Bridge past Savin Hill and Malibu Beaches, trekking home from high school or jogging.
As an annual ritual and a a way to rejuvenate my spirit, I make it a point to spend some time in South Boston on Castle Island, my favorite waterfront destination in Beantown. As I walk around the Head Island Causeway which encloses Pleasure Bay, a tranquil lagoon, I’m completely surrounded by water. In a spiritual if not literal sense, this feels like “home” for me.
Living in Pittsburgh for many years, this song may also reflect the taken-for-granted but ever present, sub conscious influence of the three major rivers that flow seamlessly together at The Point, the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers that forms the Ohio River.
Along with the three rivers, the dominant topographical feature of hills and ravines officially makes Pittsburgh “The City of Bridges,” with a total of 446, three more than former world leader Venice, Italy!