Same Place. Different Time.

God created Sundays as a day of rest but in this fast paced world that we live in today, very few people slow down long enough to even know what day it is let alone to take the time to rest and relax. Finding myself home sick this weekend and tired of staying in the house, I ventured outside to take up residence in the hammock. It was a gorgeous day - no humidity, a light breeze and just a hint of impending Fall in the air....perfect for relaxing and recuperating. My thoughts started wondering and soon I found myself reminiscing about times past.

A few weeks ago, my friend and I took in the sights and sounds of Chicago for what was my first time there. I invited all of my friends and family to view the photos from my trip on my Flickr account. A few days later, my grandmother sent me an email because it seems that my photographs evoked some memories of her first trip through Chicago with my grandfather and his sister. Back in 1952, my grandparents were in their mid 20's and newly married. Being from a small rural town, my grandmother hadn't traveled all that much herself but my grandfather made frequent trips between their home in Tennessee and his job in Michigan. I'm positive this was not my grandmother's very first trip out of her hometown, but it was quite possibly one of the first through a major metropolitan city such as Chicago. She said my grandfather didn't want to take the time to stop so she snapped photos from inside the car while they passed through the city streets. I can just imagine her bouncing from side to side in the car snapping photos, pointing and being amazed at the scene before her. Ironically, one of the photos that she snapped was very similar to of one of mine at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. Seeing the picture gave me an odd sense of comfort knowing that we both had been in the same place for the first time, but certainly a different time.



It has been two years since my grandfather left us for a better place and his memories still bring tears and sadness but I have great comfort in knowing that later in his life he found the time to enjoy a Sunday such as this one today. Taking time to relax, to stop along those city streets and take in the view. My grandmother told me that one evening, when they were much older, they had a conversation about the fact that he had pretty much seen and done everything that he had set out to accomplish and experience in life. If we could all only be so lucky!

So, just take a moment and remember what it is you're here to do and what it is that you want to do.....