Ivy City

"The trouble with you Chicago people is that you think you are the best people down here, whereas you are merely the most numerous."-Mark Twain

No offense Twain, but I object. We are certainly not the numerous (we rank 59th based on population density in the USA) and we are most definitely the best. It's a challenge to be a Chicagoan. You may think of Chicago as the ivy league of cities. Only the best and the brightest belong here. And I can prove it.

It was 47 F in Chicago today. And most of us Chicagoans agreed that it was a beautiful day. It had just the right amount of wind and sun. The average high in December is usually around 35 F and so this exceptionally warm day was welcomed with open arms by us. Walking around on State St. with many others, I was reminded not just of how beautiful my city was, but also about the uniqueness of Chicagoans.

Many people have spoken in praise of this amazing city. And many more have defamed it. But there is more to this city than meets the eye. The city of Chicago has a way to creep into your soul. Being a Chicagoan is more than just loving the eccentricity of a city life and enjoying the plethora of food options. Perhaps one of the most important attributes of being from here is the ability to live truly and to live always.

What most people consider cold and gloomy, Chicagoans consider warm and sunny! We are the epitome of people who believe the glass is half full. And why shouldn't we? Our politics, weather, neighborhood and the overall infrastructure of the city and its culture begs one principle of us: Carpe Diem.

Two glass bottles were placed on a table with a pile of large rocks on one side and a pile of sand on the other. The task was simple; Put the sand and the rocks into the glass bottle. The first person examined the two piles and reached for the sand first. However, he failed as he tried to fit the large rocks on to the bed of sand. The second person reversed the order. He was easily able to fit the rocks into the empty bottle. He then poured the sand down that gracefully filled up the precipices between the staggered rocks. The rocks here represent the major priorities of life and the sand represents the simple amusements. This is Chicago, where we occasionally find a warm day trickle into the crevices of cold, dark reality, and we most certainly seize it.

We have the most corrupt of all politics, the harshest of weathers, and the most dangerous airport. Yet, we are happy. It's because we know what's important and have a way of making the best of everything. If life gives us snow, we make snowmen, if life gives us sun, we make people jealous at the beaches, and if life gives us Derrick Rose, we make MVPs. We are a city of people that open our luxurious lofts to strangers when Lake Shore Drive is blocked. We are a city of people that make Pizza more delicious than it's ever been in Italy. We are a city of people that combine the traditions of the world to make our own unique identity.

Yes, not everyone can live in Chicago. But a Chicagoan can live everywhere!