What's In a City

It's becoming that time where the novelty is wearing off.  I'm only able to use the phrase "I just moved back here" to a very limited audience.  Those being people whom I really don't know at all.  Coupled with the loss of that excuse are those pains of doubt wondering if I made the right choice.  Having made quite a few big decisions in my life pertaining to changing locations, I really thought this might be the time where none of those concerns would arise.  Turns out though, no matter how robotic the motions have become, I am actually still human.

It must be said that for the most part, I am much more equipped emotionally and physically (though not really physically at all actually) to persevere through this go-around.  Confidence is on my side.  Not to mention the lack of motivation to ever pack up a cardboard box again (or at least for another few years).  Much like a person who was once such a significant part of your life though, a place you truly loved is hard to forget.  They too have their ways of finding certain times and days to pop up in your memory and linger around, making them difficult to forget.

On more than one occasion I've missed the ability to walk a bad day off by strolling down the lakeshore.  It's still taking me awhile to get used to the fact that I need to drive just about everywhere.  Not to mention those I share the road with view the speed limit as more of an ambition than an easy standard.  I shop less, which is a small travesty for the local economy and overall health of my wardrobe.  My nails have been bounced around to various salons in hopes of finding "the one."  I feel like Starbucks doesn't even know me anymore.

In Chicago I had this sort of spot.  I always looked at it in a certain way too, strange as that may seem.  It's when you're walking south down Michigan Ave. (which I highly recommend doing so around this time of year to get it right).  Once you get to about Delaware, if you turnaround you can see it just right.  Where the city meets a peaceful scene of serenity: Lake Michigan.  I always got a sense that things were alright when I would get to that "spot."

Many nights back here in St. Louis now I take an alternate route home from work down Jamieson Avenue.  It gets a little slowgoing once in awhile during rush hour.  Enough so that you are able to notice the streets are actually nicely lined and full of trees as well as streetlights.  People aren't clambering down it, nor are there piles of shops to stop through necessarily.  It's peaceful though while still showing many signs of life.  Maybe because more than a spot, it's a place where many call home.  That's kind of how I know now that "place" is actually pretty great.

{Image via Pinterest}