I know it's blurry. You didn't expect me to actually give you a discernible map of where we're going to live, did you?
Now that we've FINALLY settled on an apartment, I've been spending my days mapping out all the fun, urban, cool places I want to frequent when we finally become Hyde Park Heroes. Because let's face it...you can't be a Hyde Park Hero if you're not in the know on all these fun, urban, cool places (that will be, of course, sustainable, environmentally-friendly, angsty-grad student-filled, skinny jeans, hip retro glasses, economically and culturally diverse, wine bar, blah blah blah, sort of places.)
There's Hyde Park Produce, a family-owned and operated produce stand, which will be my go-to for all of the fresh produce that I will use to whip up hearty soups and chowders (or whatever the midwestern equivalent is...casserole?) on the cold, cold Chicago nights. There's Bonjour Bakery, the quintessential European bakery (or so I'm told), where I will enjoy the croque monsieur and the delicious European pastries. Then there's the University gym, which I will waddle over to after eating said pastries. And sandwiches. And ice cream. And cakes. Of course we can't forget the feeding of the spirit, so there's also the church we'll be attending, just blocks away from our home. And then that bastion of intellectualism, the University of Chicago, just crawling with wise and studious scholars. In ridiculously beautiful buildings. And hopefully, somewhere in between all of this, is a job just waiting for me.
And then, after all of my mapping, I realized something. There's no Sears Tower. No Chicago River. Not even really any Lake Michigan (though it is discernible on my map) or the Magnificent Mile. Definitely no Oprah.
And that's how you realize that your world will exist within a ten block radius. Let's be honest...we probably won't go to the Sears Tower but once, or maybe twice when family or friends come to visit. And we'll probably never see Oprah (though if I have my way, I will be running Oprah's Angel Network by this time next year. I'm kidding. Sort of. Hey Oprah! Call me, k?) We probably won't go shopping on the Magnificent Mile (mostly because we will be poor) and I'll probably never run into a real Chicago gangster. Wherever they are. Of course we'll stay connected to DC via friends and news, and we'll constantly be looking around the world to the stories of both travail and hope that have played such an important part in our lives thus far. But this, this little plot of land, will be where our lives are carried out.
But maybe a ten block radius isn't so bad. If we're really about investing in a community like we say we are, it makes sense that our lives would revolve- and be lived out- in that community. There are places of deep economic, social and spiritual need in this small little section of the city of Chicago. There are kids who need help with their homework, or just need someone to spend time with them. There are students who have lots of deep, soul-gnawing questions that have never been taken seriously before and they want to discuss those questions with someone who won't just brush them aside. There are historical and contemporary examples of racism that need to be admitted and worked through, with a healthy dose of grace and humbleness. There's some great learning to be had.
In this ten block radius, there's a life that is waiting to be lived out for a higher purpose.
So yeah, maybe our lives will mostly exist in this small little corner of the city of Chicago. But I'm ok with that...in fact, I sort of relish it. And I relish it because it means that I can wholeheartedly throw myself into the life of this little area, and live out the things that I say I believe among other Hyde Park Heroes. I can be a part of the good work going on there and maybe, hopefully, be used for a greater good. And in the end, I can't ask for a life better lived.
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