May 30, 2025

Sweet Home Chicago

As we were driving through I-90 on Joe’s new truck (he quite likes it!), there it was, Chicago’s skyline. I immediately said “Ah! Chicago, the city of… wind(?)” and Joe corrected me by telling me that it should either be “the windy city” or “the city of big shoulders”. We latter found out that this is a reference to a 1914 poem by Carl Sandburg.

A bit later I found out that when Miriam was moving to the city from the West Coast the only thing she knew about Chicago was: “cold, wind, fire, and earthquake” which reminded me of Earth Wind and Fire, a band born in Chicago.

Spending a few days in the city reminded me of the complexities of life and the value of enjoying the journey yet not (necessarily) the destination. I also got reminded that our connections to others is what makes this life worth living. These connections cannot be technologically substituted, or at least I would not want them to be.

Living in Chicago would not have been the same without all those folks, flatmates, instructors, and fellow students. With the distance of time, I can say that it was truly an experience of being surrounded by lots of love amidst inconceivable amounts of pain. “You can kill the fun, but you cannot kill those who are having it. And in any case, Lazarus’ life got restored”.

The first year in Lafayette, filled my life with wonderful new people, and concluded by going back to the city marking my first experience in America. My eyes still look at the city’s beast of a skyline like that first time I arrived at O’Hare with nothing but a suitcase, a cranky old laptop, and a vague desire to study social science. Now, I can for sure say that at least one of those things remains true.

As I am traveling back to Europe to attend conferences, reconnect with family and friends, I am reminded of Ata’s words: “I think we create meaning in the vastness of everything”.

There is still hope (maybe?).

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