Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Like a Marriage

Summer's here, Memorial Day style.

I like when things are as they should be (that's not subjective, is it?) and so when Chicago hit the 90's on Memorial Day weekend, we packed the car to the brim with lawn chairs and drove up and down Lake Shore Drive looking for any beach front park entrance that would allow just one more car.

Chicago and I are like a marriage these days.
When another flaw, fault, or weakness shows itself, it doesn't change much for me.
I love Chicago so much that seeing her shortcomings is satisfying in a "I like knowing you better" sort of way.

I got this "I like knowing you better" connection this weekend when we spent our first Memorial Day on Lake Michigan.
The Memorial Day- on- Lake Michigan experience seems like a simple rite of passage for any Chicagoan, or even Midwesterner.

Rite of passage, yes.
Simple, oh.
No.

All  I can say is I've never seen more cars, more police closures (well, that's not true #NATO), more bodies, more lawn chairs and BBQ's than at Lake Michigan that day.
The whole shore was populated for miles along LSD and by 11:30 in the morning, parks were nearly shut at capacity.
It was a day where you were like, "Yeah, I guess 9 million people do actually live here."

The day was hot and gritty and as packed with summer as the lake shore was with residents.
Chicago isn't usually on time with things like a hot Memorial Day, but in loving Chicago the surprises are sweet as often as not.

Chicago, I've seen your Memorial Day face, and I like knowing you better.
Here's to summer in the city!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are GREAT pictures! I'd love to learn how to get motion pictures like that so clear like you do. Miss you so much! Glad you're havin' fun!
~ Lil

Anonymous said...

Great pictures and a great post! Love the comparison you made between your city and marriage!