Chicago Time

I spent three weeks in Chicago and it was great.  Initially I was there to help out with a temporary babysitting crisis.  It was very reassuring - probably to all of us - to see how easily and well it all worked.  I got to see and learn a lot about my grandchildren Luke and Annie and possibly even a little about myself.  From Luke I learned about Lego and more specifically about the fact that you have to be very careful about constructing the base of your Lego building because "if you don't get the base right, things can go wrong."  Somehow I feel that there's a lesson about more than Legos here.  From Annie I learned about saying "please" even when you're giving instructions about building Legos.  When I finally did remember to add "please" to my instructions, her response was:  "It's okay, Gran.  I was going to do it anyway."  Now that is true courtesy.  I also learned about adding sparkles to just about every outfit.

There was also the great Easter egg hunt, which is sort of like being in the center of a small, but vocal tornado.  And getting lost finding my way home from buying the strawberry plants to be set out in the garden.  I knew something was wrong when I saw a sign for Wisconsin.  But the crazy route did take me through Oak Park and past the Wright house and studio.  Can't argue with that.

Then there was  also the concept of knit bombing (I do hope I got that right).  It's a totally non-violent activity in which a knitter emulates Christo (the one who wraps buildings and added orange gates to Central Park) by wrapping or decorating outdoor objects with knitted work.  At the University of Chicago quadrangle, it was knitted additions to trees, bushes, and lampposts and it was charming.  If I could only figure out how to upload photos, I would share some of them with you.

The last weekend there was a dance performance by UC student members of the South Asian Student Association (once again, I hope I got that correctly).  Rocking, roaring and incredibly diverse and beautiful.  As one description in the program put it: "India loves to dance.  That's why there are so many different styles of dance throughout India."  So much energy, so much fun.  Perhaps the most impressive, as well as moving, moment came at the very beginning.  The program opened with the national anthems of all the countries represented in the evening's dances.  First there was one person on the stage singing her anthem, a second joined her and made it a duet.  Then he began his national anthem and then another person joined him to make that a duet.  And so it was passed down to the last of the anthems and then everyone was singing together a poem composed by a poet from one of their countries.  The last words were:  "What are we waiting for?  Another sign?  Another call?  We have to find a way to peace."  Indeed, what are we waiting for?  I hope they keep that part for next year's dances.