Being Downtown

After a week of socializing and spending no time with myself, I decided that I was finally in need of a break. I promptly walked out of my apartment and headed down the canal for a little alone time, just me and the city. A vivid description of the scenery would not do Indianapolis justice. Yes, the canal walk bursts with fountains and elaborate waterfalls and gardens and statues and picturesque views of a vibrant downtown. But landscaping is the least of it. I could get lost here and still feel at home. I devoured the faces of passersby, marveling at the fact that each person was experiencing a different emotion, heading in a different direction to a different place, walking just to walk or moving toward some destination. How beautiful--much more beautiful than some water or a scenic view-- to read the emotions of strangers. How enchanting to walk in a crowd of strangers and feel independent and alive. How incredible to share a smile and realize that I will probably never see that person again, yet he or she will continue to live life and so will I. I suppose what I'm saying is that I find a thrill in seeing the ironic beauty of our world. We are all connected as human beings, yet we are all so caught up in our own stories. And isn't it amazing to think that life will never change in that respect? No matter what great technology we devise, we can always walk through a crowded city and be surrounded by strangers. I love the feeling, the diversity, the aloneness and connectedness. This, the conglomeration of interesting strangers all packed into one city, is where the true beauty of Indianapolis lies. Sure, I like the scenery. But scenery doesn't show emotion. Scenery doesn't allow me to catch snippets of conversation as they trail away. Scenery doesn't allow me to feel the impossibility and inspiration of this yin and yang world.

So, I headed out for some alone time. Silly me. I forgot that I'm never going to be alone here :)