This year’s birthday gift was one I’ll never forget. On January 14, Rashid and I took a short trip into the heart of Atlanta, stayed in a beautiful hotel with views of the city, and spent the day at the High Museum of Art — the kind of gift that speaks directly to my heart.
From the hotel window, I could already feel the day would be special. The skyline shimmered with winter light, and there was something magical about standing there in red, marking another year of life with the promise of art, time, and memory.
Walking into the High Museum itself is an experience. The building — a masterpiece of modern design by Richard Meier and expanded by Renzo Piano — rises in gleaming white panels, almost like a sculpture itself. Inside, light pours through skylights, flooding the atrium where people weave between levels on ramps that feel open and welcoming.
The galleries offered a feast for the senses: bold modern furniture designs (I lingered over an orange-and-red “marshmallow” sofa that felt both playful and iconic), abstract sculptures, photography, and classic works of art. Rashid had the camera out, quietly taking video as he always does, while I slipped into my own way of being in a museum — zoning out, lingering, and letting the art wash over me without distraction.
For me, museums aren’t about snapping photos of every piece. They’re about feeling. Standing still in front of a sculpture or painting, letting the lines and textures speak, and breathing in the quiet that only a gallery can give.
What made this day so meaningful wasn’t just the art, but the thoughtfulness behind it. Rashid gave me more than a ticket to a museum — he gave me time. Time to step into a place I love, to lose myself in creativity and history, and to celebrate another year in a way that felt deeply personal.
As the sun set, we ended the evening strolling through the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where the last of the Christmas lights still twinkled against the night — a perfect closing touch to a day that began with the city skyline and ended in a garden of lights.
If you’re in Atlanta and love art, the High Museum is a must-see. Whether you explore for an hour or a whole afternoon, it’s the kind of place that reminds you how good it feels to slow down, look closely, and let yourself be moved.
All Around The World 