here & there

today i woke up bright and early in zeeland, michigan.

mom took me to the train station and we sat facing the morning sun in holland, michigan unti

l the train pulled in. jodi and oliver were there too -- to see the train (it was early...she must have had some cold brewed coffee before their walk).

i drank my coffee and ate my granola, blueberries & yogurt on the train that took me all the way to chicago, illinois where my wonderful roomie picked me up from union station.

after unpacking from my week in michigan i wandered over to wicker park to sit on a bench and read.

across the fountain a guy wearing cut off shorts and a fedora sat on a bench with a book in one hand and in the other, a sandwich. a sandwich i'm sure he bought from the farmer's market that was just cleaning up when i arrived. the girl sitting on the bench to my right was reading a book and smoking a cigarette.

i wondered what kind of books they were reading.

i was reading a Barbara Kingsolver book that i picked up at myopic not too lon

g ago -- a chapter where Garnett was furious with Nannie Rawley's organic fields next door and ruining the Amish market.

a chicago style (mitless) softball game was in play behind me and on the other side of the park district building a band was performing. they sounded something like edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros.

i wonder where these people live. who do they live with? where do they work? do they belong to a community? do they come to this park every sunday?

then i wondered what my friends and family were doing back in michigan.

they treated me so well this past week, my friends and family. i am so thankful. thankful for friends who pick me up and take me out for ice cream, for a dad who will make my steak just the way i like it. i'm thankful for little boys who run and give me big hugs and make me pet their stuffed rabbits (who bite if you don't give them toys), for a mom who is still the best shopping partner ever, thankful for the love they show me in countless ways.

after an afternoon outside, a nap in my bed, an evening at church, and a night with friends at cafe con leche, i am thankful to just be right where i am.

g'night chicago