Nature in the City
2:00 PM Thursday Oct.6: I set off on my walk today with the freedom to go wherever I want, and spend as much time out and about as my heart desires. I have no classes on Thursdays so technically it is the start of my weekend, but I prefer to try and be productive still, so I decide to complete my assignment for class this week. I’ve spent the day checking off various items on my to-do list; going to the gym, doing homework, cleaning my room and ect. So when I head out on this walk I have chosen to refrain from assigning myself any specific limits or deadlines.
2:25 PM: It is a beautiful fall day outside, and as I make my way down the streets of Lincoln Park I bask in the cool air and sunny skies of the afternoon. I haven’t yet decided which park I will sit and observe at, so I am hoping to come across a decent enough one on my route today. As I am walking down Orchard St, I can feel my phone start to ring. My Dad is calling me. I answer the phone and we chat for a bit while I continue to head east. Once our call ends I realize I am near the north pond area, which is one of my favorite parks to walk through here. Typically I just quickly stroll through the park, but today I decided to sit on a bench and enjoy the view.
2:50 PM: After taking a seat, I took out my phone and jotted down a few notes about my observations. This park seems to be a frequent place for families walking with their kids, or peaceful elderly couples sitting by the water. I take a few pictures, and try to get over my odd embarrassment of being seen taking photos in public. For some reason, I don’t want to be perceived by others as being a tourist or not knowing what I am doing here, so I try to hide the fact that I am taking pictures of seemingly normal things. Nevertheless, I snap some pretty shots of the view and send it to my parents, letting them know of all the cool spots I have found to walk to here. It’s been about 30 minutes of me sitting in the park, so I get up off the bench and continue to make my way through the beautiful nature of Lincoln Park.
3:10 PM: I head down the trail this park has created and pass by many people walking their dogs, which coincidentally reminds me of just how much I miss my own dog back at home. The fall foliage also reminds me of home and I feel nostalgic as I long for the stunning landscape of a Michigan autumn. I continue down the road I always walk on when I come to this area and I trek through the Lincoln Park conservatory to one again admire its beauty. I am thankful that this area has such good walkability, and the sidewalks are always full of other people doing the same thing as me.
3:25 PM: I start to make my way home, and as I transition from being engulfed in the nature of a park, I can once again see the litter of trash on the roads and hear the honking of car horns. The contrast between the two environments always shocks me, and I am in awe of how easily the city manages to be home to both ambiences at the same exact time. It almost feels like an oxymoron, how is it possible to have such a calm, quiet, and organic area coexist right next to the hustle and bustle of the loud downtown? I ponder over this as I complete my journey and make it back home to the dorms.
Reading Response:
Even if you haven’t been to the Art Institute yourself, you have probably seen the building’s iconic lion statues out on the front steps. These bronze sculptures were created in 1894 by Edward Kemeys, and they have since become one of the most famous aspects of the Chicago Art Institute. The lions are said to guard the entrance to the institute, and have been decorated for different occasions over the years. The original reasoning of this artwork is an interesting story on its own, Mrs.Henry Field actually commissioned the artists to create these particular lions in memory of her husband. And after his studying of animals for years to perfect this precise craft, Edward Kemeys was the perfect sculptor to be hired to create these legendary pieces of art. Known as, “The Lions of Michigan Ave.”, the historic animals will always hold with them some sort of significance for tourists and locals all across the city of Chicago. (159).
