Thursday night, I went to an evening yoga class in Grant Park, under the shadow of these imperious folk. It’s strangely peaceful considering where it is – on a really busy intersection, with Metra and El train lines a short jog away and Lake Shore drive just the other side of the park.
I think it’s being able to see so much sky that makes Chicago such a roomy city. So much is going on that it could seem crowded. It doesn’t though, probably thanks to the extraordinary care that goes into the upkeep of parks and beaches. There’s just so much open space; once you turn your back on the Loop and face east of Michigan Avenue the space is endless.
That means endless space for the vast Mid-western sky to occupy. Strange then, that it should feel so peaceful when there was so much going on in the cloudless blue above: not to mention the dog-walkers, kids on bikes, and joggers on their way home. Despite the competition from the traffic and the people, I found it hard to close my eyes as instructed because I was watching the birds and the planes and the leaves blowing in the wind. At the end of the night it was suggested that I was getting distracted by all the activity above us.
That wasn’t my problem though.
It’s so hard to feel zen when there are biting insects making you their early evening snack.
LivinginChicago 