Today I’m leaving with a bittersweet feeling. As I sit here in Terminal 5 of Chicago O’Hare International Airport waiting for my departure back home, I reflect on how much love I’ve surprisingly experienced during my visit.

A few days ago, I came back to Chicago for the second time since I last visited a few years back with my wife. From that distant memory of our last trip, what I can recall was a very transient past. I mean, we partied, listened to live music, ate, and did what young adults would normally do in their early years of a relationship.

In no disregard to my last adventure, this second journey must be placed in a time capsule as I’m writing this standing in line ready to board my flight back. A few days before leaving Las Vegas, I received a text from my older brother, who was the reason why I booked a flight to the Windy City. He suggested in a message how to get from the airport to my hotel, which entailed an hour train ride, a quick bus route, and a few paces to get to my destination. This was unexpected to me as I always relied on ride-hailing. But faced with this challenge, I was filled with excitement to learn the city’s transit system.

I arrived with ease. Checked in a place booked by my travel agent (aka Wifey), I got about fifteen minutes to unpack. I left immediately as soon as I freshened up. This time, I took an Uber in order to make the dinner reservation on time. Thanks to my promptness, I made it to the restaurant with several minutes to spare, so I walked around for a moment to decompress, call the wife, and breathe in the new atmosphere.

We spent the entire evening chatting until we were the only ones left in the restaurant. Time flies in great company… and amazing food. And this was only the first night.

The next day, after tossing and turning in bed, I went about exploring the cityscapes. It was a visual overload of all things architecture and people. The air was filled with sounds of cars honking, trains squeaking on its railways, bus doors opening from one stop to the other, people walking, people running, people shopping. The chilling wind whistled through these enormous towers that stood like giants. Everyone and everything was in harmony. The hustle and bustle of life sang loudly. It was all music to my ears. What was even wonderful to see was how clean the streets were considering all the commotion that was simultaneously happening all around. I’ve always loved the energy and noise of busy cities. It almost relaxes me. And this one did not disappoint one bit. It was like watching a movie in real time.

My visit to Chicago was quick, to say the least. Besides exploring the crevices of downtown, I also had a chance to visit a couple of museums, made a quick stop to a local neighborhood named Pilsen, and capped off my last night viewing the city lights from the perspective of its infamous Navy Pier. But what made Chi-town most memorable was its style and grace. The people moved with purpose and the respect for others was palpable. People thanked the bus drivers, gave up their seats for the elders, and greeted each other with honest courtesy. The humanness of Chicago is evidently colorful. Its architecture is a sight to be seen and experienced live. The energy, its grandness, its history, are all vibrantly breathing with its people. Thank you, Chicago. I will be back for more.