Nature vs. City

One day we were driving and my five year old son said, “Ugh! Everything out my window is so BORING!” I looked around at the tree-lined street we were driving down and said, “This is beautiful! Look at all the green trees!” He said, “Trees are yuck, I want more BUILDINGS!!” It cracked me up because my brother and I had just been debating which inspires us more—nature or cities. He thought nature was great, but it’s in the middle of a city where he feels electrified with every window a different life and story, every face a potential new friend. I agreed with him and even more so after going to Chicago a couple weeks ago and feeling the pulse of people and culture and colors that converge on every corner. It’s thrilling! But then last week, I spent a lot of time up in the mountains and couldn’t get over the fresh air, the scenerary that took my breath away around every corner, the majestic and the minute beauty that encircled me on all sides. I brought the dilemma to my husband and said, I don’t know which inspires me more! They both get me! He laughed and said, “Steph, we could stick you in the middle of a parking lot at the mall and you’d say, ‘oh! Look how beautiful!’” I laughed at how right he is. So there’s that. Maybe the truth is that the beauty really is everywhere if you look for it. Which is the thesis I think I’ve been painting all along. What’s your vote?