Can I walk with you? #2

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Can I Walk With You?" Episode #2

Title: Can I Walk with You? #2
Host: Thoraya
Release Date: June 2, 2025

Overview:
In the second episode of Can I Walk With You?, host Thoraya continues her journey through the bustling streets of New York City, engaging in heartfelt and spontaneous conversations with passersby. This episode delves deep into themes of loss, resilience, and the ever-evolving nature of life in one of America’s most iconic cities.

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Introduction to the Conversation

The episode opens with Alex reaching out to Dariah for a walking conversation, setting the tone for an intimate and genuine exchange. The dialogue begins with a simple request, highlighting the podcast's core premise of connecting through shared walks.

Notable Quote:

Alex (00:00): "Where are you walking to? Can I just walk with you there? I would just walk with you and have a conversation. Is that okay if I walk with you?"

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Dariah’s Background and Insights

Dariah introduces herself as an internet personality and shares her journey into online content creation. Her passion for filmmaking and storytelling is evident as she discusses the inception of her YouTube channel seven years ago. This segment provides listeners with an understanding of her dedication and the personal fulfillment she derives from her work.

Notable Quote:

Alex (00:34): "Yeah, I guess so. I'm not usually in them, but my work is online on YouTube and stuff."

Dariah (02:48): "We experience loss every day, right? Did you get to keep the cup of coffee that you drank this morning?"

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Exploring the Theme of Loss

A significant portion of the conversation centers around the concept of loss. Alex recounts a poignant encounter with a woman dealing with grief, which left a lasting impression on her approach to understanding relationships and loss. Dariah expands on this by reflecting on the constant changes and losses experienced in New York City.

Key Insights:

• Alex’s Reflection: She shares a metaphor about grief involving a jar, where the hurt remains a fixed part while life continues to expand, allowing for healing and moving forward.

  Notable Quote:

  Alex (02:37): "She said, you know, when you lose someone, think of it like a jar. And the hurt takes up, like, maybe one fourth of the jar. That one fourth of the jar is never gonna get smaller, but your jar gets bigger."

• Dariah’s Perspective: She discusses the daily experiences of loss in New York, from the changing landscapes to personal memories, emphasizing the city's duality of being a place to live and miss simultaneously.

  Notable Quote:

  Dariah (03:32): "New York is the place where you can live in and miss at the same time."

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Personal Stories and Emotional Depth

Dariah shares her personal struggles with loss, recounting how a simple fortune cookie provided her with a profound sense of hope during a difficult time. This anecdote underscores the importance of unexpected moments of clarity and support in navigating personal hardships.

Notable Quote:

Dariah (06:07): "I got the fortune cookie that was black. And I said the same thing that I said when you found that notebook. It's like, it just means the future is unwritten. It's yours."

Alex responds empathetically, reflecting on his own pivotal year and the challenges he faced, fostering a mutual understanding and support between them.

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Reflections on Change and Continuity

The conversation naturally transitions to how individuals maintain their core values amidst constant change. Dariah talks about holding onto dignity and principles despite the evolving environment of New York City. She highlights the grace and luck that help her stay grounded, even as the city around her transforms.

Notable Quote:

Dariah (05:15): "Dignity, Principles. Dignity. I've somehow hung onto those things."

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Closing Thoughts and Mutual Appreciation

As the walk concludes, Dariah offers a heartfelt message to the listeners, emphasizing solidarity and collective resilience. She expresses gratitude for the conversation, reinforcing the podcast’s theme of connecting and understanding through shared experiences.

Notable Quote:

Dariah (08:04): "Good luck. We're all gonna be fine in future time. ... we're all in this together."

Alex reciprocates the appreciation, wrapping up the episode on a note of mutual respect and hope.

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Conclusion

Episode #2 of Can I Walk With You? masterfully intertwines personal narratives with universal themes of loss and resilience. Through the authentic dialogue between Alex and Dariah, listeners gain deep insights into navigating life's challenges while cherishing memories and maintaining personal integrity. The episode not only captures the essence of New York City's dynamic yet nostalgic spirit but also underscores the importance of human connection in the face of inevitable changes.

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Final Thoughts:
Thoraya’s Can I Walk With You? continues to offer a unique platform for meaningful conversations. By focusing on spontaneous interactions, each episode provides a window into the diverse experiences that shape everyday lives in New York City.

Transcript

[Alex]

Where are you walking to? Can I just walk with you there? I would just walk with you and have a conversation. Is that okay if I walk with you? Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, too. Thanks for doing this. Is it cool if I walk with you guys? I'm not gonna make you late for work, am I? No.

[Dariah]

How far are we going?

[Alex]

Wherever your destination is. What about you? Who am I? What were you thinking about right before I came up to you?

[Dariah]

Dariah. Nice to meet you. I hear you're an Internet personality.

[Alex]

Yeah, I guess so. I'm not usually in them, but my work is online on YouTube and stuff.

[Dariah]

And how did you get into that?

[Alex]

It was seven years ago. I think I was just really into filmmaking, and I was really curious about people, and I wanted to share real stories. So I started, and it kind of just. I haven't stopped since. Honestly, I'm in love with what I do, so it's really hard to do something else.

[Dariah]

And that was the most shocking thing someone revealed to you on a neighborhood walk? Hmm.

[Alex]

On a neighborhood. Well, this walking series I just started. But let me think about the most shocking thing.

[Dariah]

Sorry, I'm interviewing you.

[Alex]

No, it's totally fine. The most shocking thing. I have a couple of shocking things, but honestly, those don't really resonate with me. But I could tell you, like, an answer that's really stuck with me.

[Dariah]

Okay.

[Alex]

One time I met a woman. She had just lost someone, and she was just talking about grief. And I asked her, like, how do you get past that? And she says something to me. Even though, thankfully, I've never had any losses in my family. I have had, like, friendships that have ended. And she said something to me that has really helped me a lot because you do kind of grieve someone, you know, even if they're not your friend anymore.

[Dariah]

Yes. I mean, always. You always have to uphold what the relationship was and appreciate it. Even though you grieve the loss.

[Alex]

Yeah, exactly. So recently, I was thinking about what she said. She said, you know, when you lose someone, think of it like a jar. And the hurt takes up, like, maybe one fourth of the jar. That one fourth of the jar is never gonna get smaller, but your jar gets bigger. And that kind of helps you, like, move on a little bit.

[Dariah]

That's the best way to put it.

[Alex]

Yeah, it's kind of like your life gets bigger.

[Dariah]

You meet, your life always gets bigger, and loss is just, you know, it's surrender. You've got no choice in some losses.

[Alex]

Do you have any experiences with that?

[Dariah]

Oh, we got plenty.

[Alex]

And you're willing to share?

[Dariah]

No, you know, I mean, just walking in this neighborhood is experiencing loss. I mean, like I was saying, I moved here very, very young to this neighborhood and it's so different than it. Well, actually, now that we're getting down to Avenue C, it's not that much different. Avenue C and Avenue D aren't, but New York. I had left New York for a while, traveled a lot and moved back to New York, I don't know, about 12 years ago. And New York is the place where you can live in and miss at the same time.

[Alex]

While you're living in it, you miss it.

[Dariah]

New York changes so much. I mean, this neighborhood, even looking at the street here, these streets used to look so wide because nobody would come down here. I remember when this was all burned out and there wouldn't be businesses here. The only thing that you could shop for here would be actually literally here. Narcotics. This was the street. Let's walk around the block. And then I can, you know, like even dropping off my daughter, who's 10 at this point. If I, if, you know, this wouldn't have been the neighborhood where you would have dropped your 10 year old daughter off and then wandered around. So. Yeah, I mean, we experience loss every day, right? Did you get to keep the cup of coffee that you drank this morning?

[Alex]

What was that?

[Dariah]

Did you get to keep the cup of coffee that you drank this morning?

[Alex]

Did you see me get a cup of coffee?

[Dariah]

No, I'm just assuming you did. It's gone, right?

[Alex]

Yeah. Oh, you miss it.

[Dariah]

So, you know, losses, there's great ones, there's small ones. And every day we. Every day we got it. It's just a series of surrenders.

[Alex]

Does that make you sad?

[Dariah]

Sure, sure. We get to, you know, we just get all the sadness and joy and measure. Right? We get all the suffering and all the joy that we can handle and that's it. So, yeah, it makes you sad.

[Alex]

Can you tell me a little bit about the things that you've kept throughout the years in New York?

[Dariah]

Dignity, Principles. Dignity. I've somehow hung onto those things.

[Alex]

What's helped you hold onto that?

[Dariah]

Huh?

[Alex]

What's helped you hold onto that?

[Dariah]

I don't know. Grace. I don't know. Just general grace in the world. I don't know. Luck. I don't know. Those are the things you get to hold on to. You get to hold on to, you know, people in your life and, you know, even shifting things, there's lots that have changed and you know, it still remains the same. Especially, you know, getting older. I mean, I don't feel any different than the 16 year old kid that I was. But you.

[Alex]

I feel different than. I mean, this 2024 has been probably the most pivotal year of my life.

[Dariah]

Really? In what way?

[Alex]

I tried something that I had never tried before, which is great.

[Dariah]

That's.

[Alex]

You know, and then I lost it.

[Dariah]

Oh, I'm sorry to hear it. And congratulations, you know. And what do you learn from that? I had gone through. There was a time where I had gone through a very significant struggle time in my life. And I always used to make this joke that one day I was gonna get the fortune cookie, that it was blank. I was so worried about that. Cause I mean, you get a fortune cookie and it's blank and you're like, no fortun. There's no future. There's nothing to look forward to. And I had gone through a very significant event. And a friend of mine picked me up and took me out for Chinese food. And I got the fortune cookie that was black. And I said the same thing that I said when you found that notebook. It's like, it just means the future is unwritten. It's yours. No, that's great news. I'm glad I did this.

[Alex]

I'm glad you did it. So you almost did it.

[Dariah]

I almost didn't. But there's another thing. Is the almost doing. Not doing.

[Alex]

Is this where your doggy.

[Dariah]

This is where I'm headed. Okay, let me see if. There she is with the ponytail. She hates it.

[Alex]

She hates the tutoring.

[Dariah]

Oh, of course. But she's doing great. And then I'll bring us back.

[Alex]

Okay.

[Dariah]

Yeah. This has been really sweet. I'm glad I did it because I almost was like, no, I'm all in here. I don't want to be.

[Alex]

Is there any ending thoughts you want to give my audience?

[Dariah]

Oh, man. Like what?

[Alex]

Anything.

[Dariah]

Like, good luck. Good luck. We're all gonna be fine in future time. And I don't know, that's the only thing I gotta say is we're all in this together. Like, I actually really appreciate this, you know, especially, you know, you see somebody and they're like Internet personality. And you bristle, right? You're like, Internet personality. And then you're like, oh, content creator or whatever, but you're actually doing the opposite of. So what's really lovely about this is, you know, I wouldn't have. We wouldn't have had this conversation if you didn't hit me up. So I very much appreciate this.

[Alex]

I really appreciate you doing this.

[Dariah]

Thank you.

[Alex]

Thank you so much. Light track, baby I come back to you in space.