If 10 tornadoes last week is indicative of what’s to come this fall in regard to contention in the U.S. and elections mimicking the weather, I need to remind myself to breathe right now. I’m reminding you to do the same thing.
I find that one of the best ways to stay present and to remember that we are a very small part of a very big world is to enjoy the community we’re in. With the 10 tornadoes that visited us recently, 4-5 of which were in the Chicago area, we are fortunate there wasn’t more damage. Nature is resilient. Nature is a good teacher.
We can be resilient too through these winds of change in our nation. Now is a good time to go to the library and learn about history in this community so that we don’t repeat the things we don’t want to repeat, but rather do the things that are progressive and bring us into a positive future.
Now is a good time to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright houses, the Hemingway house, Scoville Park, and all of the places that are quintessential Oak Park and River Forest, to appreciate the little things and breathe. If I’m able to appreciate a small community, then I am able to expand that appreciation to a larger nation even at times when it is difficult to do so.
Now is a good time, especially before the season changes again to go and stand in line for your ice cream at one of the local shops. Sit outside and eat at one of the many restaurants because you never know when you might be met with 10 tornadoes or other winds of change that don’t afford the time and energy to enjoy and breathe your community in.
Children will be back at school soon. Life will become busier and potentially more chaotic as we get closer and closer to this election. Clearly, there are no predictions that can’t be upended during this time. Spending time in nature always helps. OPRF has many huggable trees which keep standing through all of the storms.
Like I said, we can learn a lot from nature and from taking time to enjoy the finer things in our little community. It takes the edge off of weathering our politics at this time.
El Serumaga
River Forest