I used to call Chicago home. I was born here. Now I will be happy to leave and not return unless something very urgent and unexpected calls me here.

I am thankful to be here, in a comfortable home with kind and generous hosts and having the blessing of being chosen to take care of their sweet dog, Livvy. She’s still a pup, a miniature schnauzer, and a total sweetheart.

But Chicago- my gosh, or as the younger people might say- OMG—— the streets in the heart of the city, the high end River North, Michigan Avenue and the rest of the Gold Coast, are disgusting. Glitzy, glamorous shops and eateries, all great if you can drop down from above into their space. I walked and found it detrimental to my physical and mental well being.

Aggressive, drunk, and mentally challenged fill the streets asking for food or money. One walked right up to my face saying I had a nice  backpack. I was momentarily frightened, until I found a throng of pedestrians to blend in with.

The air is fouled by cigarette smoke. I felt like I was walking with a large group of people who just left a smokers convention.

Chicago presents discussion opportunities on such a wide variety of sociological phenomena . You can escape to the suburbs and live in quiet gated communities completely lacking in diversity, culture and awareness of life in general for those without the means to get out of the dirty city.

Or, you can live in the city with all its cultural identity with art, museums and world wide ethnic dining at your doorstep.

I took the train from the airport to the city for five dollars. An Uber was $60.00— but I was frightened the whole train ride. People sleeping in the cars, taking up three or four seats, drunken beggars walking from one car to the next asking for money.

When I leave Chicago, I will pay the sixty dollars for an Uber. Seventy if I have to.

The regular people of Chicago are great. I stopped a person on my walk to ask for directions and suggestions and we talked for twenty minutes. The shopkeepers of the establishments I made it to, were kind and welcoming and excited to tell me about their store.

And as has always been the norm, the food of Chicago was delicious and new and brimming with flavors from around the world.  So like anywhere in the world, daily life is never just one thing.

Bye bye Chicago. Thank you for the memories!

Peace, Love, and Namaste