Do you see that view? I can see that every day on my walk with Chester. It is just down the street at Gallup Park. Although I am in a city, I can take a short walk and totally escape from people, pressures, reality. This is where I get to live.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I miss St. Louis — my friends, my house, the smell of the brewery, Forest Park, LaFayette Square. It will always be very dear to me.
But, you know, I think I am going to like Ann Arbor. In the past week, as we have settled, I have begun to develop some routines — Pilates, morning tea, blogging, five minutes of stillness, and a daily walk by the Huron River. This walk is a pause from reality. Inside Gallup Park, I don’t notice the sounds of the city. I am engulfed in the smell of water, flowers, freshness — pure Michigan. I see ducks, geese, and such a wide variety of people doing exactly what I am doing — breathing.
I lose track of time. I forget agendas. I relax. Guys, it’s like being still!
I can hear some grumblers saying, “I bet you won’t be walking there in January!” Good point. I haven’t quite forgotten what Michigan winters are like. They are cold, to be sure. But I also remember that they are stunningly beautiful. So, I wonder if I will still venture out, like a real Michigander — clad in boots, parka, hat, and gloves — to see what this view looks like fifty degrees cooler. I hope so!
In the mean time, I am going to continue my routine — Pilates, tea, blogging, five minutes of stillness, and my daily walk by the river. Because I have noticed that there, He “extends peace to [me] like a river” Isaiah 66:12.
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