This past friday night I spent the night wandering around Detroit in the early morning, and I could not possibly be more happy with my decision. So much of what we are told about Detroit is how dangerous it is, and how much we should contain our experiences in what is considered safe. To me however, you can only see some beauty of this city when everyone else is asleep. We have talked about how the people of Detroit are driven, and are working towards making their city better, but the city itself is also beautiful. Spending a couple of hours walking along the River Walk and seeing the city at peace allows one to truly appreciate all of the artwork that is in Downtown Detroit such as the Spirit of Detroit, the river itself, the Guardian building, and the Monument to Joe Louis among others. After walking around the River Walk, I walked from downtown back to Wayne State University. On the way there, one passes Comerica Park, with its large tiger statues, before coming to a more desolate stretch. Yet even in this area, with some buildings torn down, the ones around them are still beautiful. And when observing all of this, I was left with a sense of possibilities. There are so many possibilities for Detroit moving forward, they are truly endless. Even in the rubble of a torn down church, there is room for regrowth to build up the new Detroit stronger and even better.
On my walk through Detroit I also spent a lot of time talking to the homeless men and women that were sleeping in the bus stops and I think that messages they gave me were truly profound. None of them lamented the position they were in, many instead would tell me of how they were planning on getting back on their feet. They spoke of enjoying the walk down to Downtown, and the storage center that allowed some of them to sleep in when the weather turned bad. Detroit to me is truly beautiful, it is not only in the statues but in the rubble and those that have been pushed to the bottom that creates this beauty. While it may be a more Eastern philosophy I truly believe there is beauty in the breakdown, because of the possibilities for growth and renewal. As I walked, I walked with my friend Joe from Indianapolis and we both agreed that we would return to Detroit because it was quickly becoming one of our favorite cities. We walked and listened to Let Go by Frou Frou (attached) and in those early morning hours the beauty of the city was unleashed, from the sculptures, to the rubble, to those sleeping on the streets.
Attached are two pictures from the night, one of my friend Joe atop a pile of rubble, and one of countless footsteps and possibilities. Both spoke to me, I just hope they speak to you as well.
On my walk through Detroit I also spent a lot of time talking to the homeless men and women that were sleeping in the bus stops and I think that messages they gave me were truly profound. None of them lamented the position they were in, many instead would tell me of how they were planning on getting back on their feet. They spoke of enjoying the walk down to Downtown, and the storage center that allowed some of them to sleep in when the weather turned bad. Detroit to me is truly beautiful, it is not only in the statues but in the rubble and those that have been pushed to the bottom that creates this beauty. While it may be a more Eastern philosophy I truly believe there is beauty in the breakdown, because of the possibilities for growth and renewal. As I walked, I walked with my friend Joe from Indianapolis and we both agreed that we would return to Detroit because it was quickly becoming one of our favorite cities. We walked and listened to Let Go by Frou Frou (attached) and in those early morning hours the beauty of the city was unleashed, from the sculptures, to the rubble, to those sleeping on the streets.
Attached are two pictures from the night, one of my friend Joe atop a pile of rubble, and one of countless footsteps and possibilities. Both spoke to me, I just hope they speak to you as well.
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