Home.

I know it’s pretty obvious that my posts have been pretty absent since moving back the to States, and for those of you who followed closely, I apologize. Tonight; however, as I was walking back to my apartment after spending the afternoon with some friends and having a wonderful catch up later in the evening with another friend, I was in a reflective mood and had an inclination to write. So, here I am. J

Tonight, as I mentioned, I had an incredible time getting together with a friend whom I’ve not known for a large part of my life, but somebody who has been in the throes of medical school with me and someone who has experienced her fair share of challenges throughout the years, but remains one of the most resilient, realistic, and positive people I have ever met in my entire life. Not that I interact with many negative minded people, but it’s always so refreshing to find people who view life and the world in such a similar way. Anyway, as our conversations concluded, it was time for me to make the 15 minute walk back to my apartment and I realized, like I have on many other occasions here in Chicago and many many many more occasions whilst living in Dominica, what it means to simply live in the present. To take everything in. The sights. The sounds. The smells. Everything. As I walked, I wasn’t thinking of anything but the way the sky was so clear I could see the stars. The crispness that the air brings to Chicago in March. How happy and excited my fellow Chicagoans were to be enjoying their Saturday night. The way the streets intersect, and how things just seem to come alive at night with the business lights all on and streetlights illuminating the neighborhood. It was absolutely indescribable.

Now, some of this may be coming from the fact that I know I only have 5 weeks left to call myself a resident of Chicago, but I also know that I’ve been experiencing these feelings, despite getting caught up in the stress and chaos it can often offer, since I moved here. Admittedly, the place I feel most present is down at Lake Michigan where I walk from my apartment and just sit. Listening to the peacefulness of waves on the lake while the traffic zooms past behind me on Lakeshore Drive. Looking south at the lights of downtown and only imagining the hustle and bustle of life existing within the streets. Just taking it all in, knowing that I’m only a small part of this ginormous place, and knowing that despite its eccentricities, I’m going to miss it. Which leads me to the title of this post: Home.

What is home? For some, it’s where they have a place to sleep and prepare their food. For others, it’s where their loved ones are. And still for others, it is where they were born and spent the majority of their life. What I’ve come to realize, is that for me, home is exactly where I feel the most present. It’s where I can go to take my mind off of the stress of day to day life. The place I can walk and just appreciate the little things in life; where I can simply be. Five years ago, that place was Minneapolis, three years ago that place was Dominica, now it is Chicago, and in three months it will be Des Moines, Iowa. To say that I am grateful for having the opportunity to call Chicago home would be an understatement. The things I have learned, the people I have met, and the places I have gone have taught me more about life than I could have imagined learning in a lifetime. They are things I will take with me to my next adventure and beyond. I am so excited to move into the world of pediatrics for the next chapter of this amazing adventure, and cannot wait to experience this recurring feeling of being present (I know it was a common theme in my posts from Dominica) wherever life wants to take me. But for now, I’m going to spend the next 5 weeks taking in everything Chicago has to offer and appreciating the little moments like my walk home tonight.