This picture is Chicago. Or actually the way Chicago used to look back in its non-industrialized prairie days. I took this picture at the Chicago Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. The NRS staff had its summer outing on Tuesday and we went Botanical. I’d never been. It’s beautiful. We experienced a concert, lunch and tram tour in a few hours. We merely scanned the grounds. It’s pretty expansive. I’d love to bike through it and see all the different areas.
In the water basin, there are three Japanese gardens connected by narrow bridges. Our guide says this is an intentional choice. It’s part of the Japanese practice of living mindfully. By strolling on a bridge in a single file, a person’s evil spirits are forced off the person and fall into the water. Everything within a zen garden has this type of purposefulness. I marvel in the deliberate thoughtfulness of the Japanese culture.
I took several pictures and this is the only one that really came close to capturing the tranquility and simplicity of the experience. It was a lovely respite in my week of Grace-full juggling. I was able to neatly fold in the adventure between dropping my camper off and picking her up. I almost felt a little bit like I was cheating on Grace because I know how much she enjoys seeing new things and meeting new people. Still, I claimed the opportunity for myself and found solace in the day.