Outside Looking In

Chicago is a pretty big city. Meaning you can’t always get around with your car or feet alone. So public transport (Metra and the ‘L’ train) has quickly become a friend of mine.

Streets become filled with people coming and going, each car or train with a story of someone off to work or school to create their day.

Being on the morning Metra train from the burbs into the city people are sleepy-groggily boarding only to prop their heads against the window until the skyline comes into view. It’s a sweet time, knowing we are the only ones awake and when the skyline comes into view, it’s as if the city was waiting for us to wake it. For our greeting so these buildings can be filled with workers who will create, build and collaborate. People who will make a day.

From there I jump off to catch the L to take me to the hospital. The L is kind of like an old school monorail (being a Florida girl, I can’t help but make reference!). So the views from above are amazing! People walking from street corner to sidewalk, cars moving past below and all the while we are above, starting our day.

But my favorite view so far has to be as we approach Polk Street. The tracks go outside the city, almost circling around the Loop. Each morning, I get to be on the outside looking in. Deciding what am I going to take with me into my day and what needs to be left out. Am I going to bring agendas, pride and guardedness? Or am I going to bring love, grace and allow God to walk before me?

The line has stopped. Time to decide and start the day.