The city by morning

I've always loved mornings. I don't always love getting out of bed, but once up I love mornings.

I love being up and about when the city is still fairly quiet.

I love walking around the commercial areas when the shops aren't yet open.

I think I love the potential energy of this time of day...

...the wide range of possibilities before they get seized (or don't).

I might see someone moving around inside, or unlocking a service door.

It's another day at work, and who knows what it will bring? This early in the day, we have the innocence of not knowing and the luxury of hope.

I took these in New Bohemia and Czech Village the morning after the 2020 presidential election.

Fresh from a workout, coffee cup in my hand from Brewhemia, I took refuge from the national angst in the reality of my city.

A few hours from now, the potential energy will have become kinetic, and this quiet corner will be full of motion and noise.

Maybe a car would be scooting ahead of me through the crosswalk. Maybe the man standing where I am now will wear a surly look and a MAGA hat.

For now, the city rests, like a sleeping toddler. And I love it.

Chuck Marohn says, "Everything you are passionate about at the national level has a local analog that needs your attention as we move forward.... The result of those efforts won't be ambiguous--show your place love and it will love you back."