Time Marches On

Went out swing dancing a few days ago for only about the third time in the two months we've been here. It was at Big City Swing, a small studio on the near west side. The first person I saw as I walked in was Susan, someone I recognized from Boston. Apparently, she was in town for a few days for a conference. There weren't that many people there that night, but nonetheless I did get to dance a couple songs. I ran into two people who recognized me from my medical school days in Chicago, five years prior.

Its always a bit weird going out in Chicago and seeing all that has changed, and all that has stayed the same. The five years I spent in Boston is enough time away that many changes have taken place, but not enough time for me to expect things to have changed. An obvious example, the skyline is different. Of course the icons: the Sears Tower, the John Hancock building, Water Tower Place; they're all still here, but now there are a lot of new tall buildings arising from blocks that I distinctly remember as being parking lots just a few years ago. Same with restauraunts; I've been reassured that my favorites are still around mostly, but now they're competing with a bunch of young upstarts.

The dance scene has also changed. The few times I've been out I see a few familiar faces, but they're a small minority in the crowd. Its not too surprising, as the demographics of the swing scene in Chicago in the late 90's was mostly 20-something singles, a pretty transient group in general. I've experienced the change in Boston as well, as people come and go, moving in and moving out. I guess I'm a good example of that. One of the people I danced with called me "Old-Schooler", I kinda like that.

There's this concept called "object permanence" that is defined as the awareness that objects continue to exist even when not visible. Its a developmental milestone that babies acquire after about eight months of life. As I've grow older, I've become aware of "object impermanence"; change is constantly occurring even when we're not around to observe it. Coming back to Chicago after 5 years away is a dramatic way of emphasizing this point. For the most part its a good thing, I think Chicago is a better place in so many ways than it was a decade ago. However, for someone who still feels young (no achy joints yet!), its a reminder that time is passing, and we're all getting older.

-Brian