Sometimes big cities get a bad reputation. 

Like everyone is so busy going about their hustle that they don’t have time to notice the people around them. 

And I’d like to reject that notion. 

At least here in Chicago, people are real freakin’ nice. 

Maybe cause we’re in the Midwest? 

But I just feel like – more often than not – we’ve come across really kind people. People that stop to talk to my 3-year old. And treat him like a little person and not just an inconvenience. 

Because, yeah, it probably CAN be irritating when you’re trying to go from point A to point B and you’ve got a little human in front of you who has to pause and examine every crack in the sidewalk.

Or you’re just trying to stand in line and wait for your bagel, but this same little human is staring at you for a solid 5 minutes because “you’ve got a pen in your head!” (And now proceeds to practice his pen-wearing skills at home). 

A few days ago, we went to pick up something from our Buy Nothing group. And when I parked and came around to the other side of the car to unbuckle Ishu, a woman – who was cleaning up the sidewalk in front of her home – paused her leaf blower so she could say hello to us.

And once Ishu was out of the car and on the sidewalk, she saw him staring at it in amazement and asked if he wanted to give it a whirl. Needless to say, he was pretty much lovin’ life. I will definitely be purchasing one of these when we have a home. Hopefully, he will still be just as thrilled to use it then. 

And then another day, Ishu passed by another person using a different machine to cover up a hole on a concrete pillar. Ishu, of course, got real close and curious. The man turned the machine off to talk to Ishu. He explained what he was doing and why he was doing it. He chatted with us for a bit until Ishu felt satisfied and ready to move along. 

On another day, we passed by a building that is currently going through some renovations. They had a concrete mixer outside and were funneling the concrete in to level out the flooring. Ishu, of course, was so eager to see what was happening. And the man supervising the whole thing allowed Ishu to stand at the door and watch it all go down. And every single worker in there paused to talk to Ishu. 

Yesterday, we went over to the county office to get Riyaan’s birth certificate. And while we were waiting, Ishu leaned in to the cubicles to get a closer look at the Halloween decorations on someone’s desk. He knew he probably wasn’t allowed back there, but his curiosity got the best of him. A sweet man – working at a desk in the back – spotted Ishu and paused what he was doing to come over and hand him a lollipop. 

So, I don’t know. I know the world – especially in a city – can feel super intimidating. But we’ve had so many positive encounters with people on these city streets. 

And, mostly, these interactions have been such a gift for ME. Because my 3-year old is learning so much more than simply how machines work or how to slide a pen on top of your ear. Ha. He’s learning that people don’t mind taking a few minutes out of their day to say hello. That a 3-minute conversation can change the course of your day for the better. That people are mostly good. 🙂

And maybe this mama needs that reminder every now and again too. 

HAPPY FRIDAY. Hope you have a beautiful day. 🙂