Cities and Nights

I've always loved driving through cities on expressways at night. There's just something exhilarating about it. I did it the other night...the 408 heading east back home right through downtown Orlando. Its a beautiful thing.
Of course, Orlando isn't really a huge downtown area, but there's just something about seeing the buildings all lit up and driving through...really fast....or errrr...exactly the speed limit...
I've had this love of cities for a long time now. At least since early college, if not now. I've just always loved the life there. Of course, they can stress me out, too. Being alone in downtown Chicago (which I've done a few times) can be fun, but has always made me really tense, too. I guess if I knew it better, it wouldn't freak me out so much. That summer I was there I felt like I learned it. But later when I went back, the familiarity was gone. I think that must have been because I was no longer with at least 10 other people at all times. Funny what that brings.
There is a sense of community in cities that the 'burbs just don't have. I live in a subdivision. I hardly ever see my neighbors. I go to the same grocery store pretty frequently and rarely do I even recognize the workers much less the other customers.
We have this deep need for community, I believe. God puts it in our hearts. Something about ciites make you live in that reality more, I think.
So if you can, go hang out downtown tonight, wherever you are. Chances are it has a lot more personality than whatever is on your typical eastside hang out. Breath in the city air, take a minute to people watch. If you can, drive there on the city streets, not on the expressways. Of course, you can always get on the experssway and drive through it a couple times, just for fun.