Growing up in Iowa, cities always seemed to be a scary place to
live. We heard of gang violence, poverty, and muggings from places like New
York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. We heard of the New York attitude, the rudeness
and selfishness that infected many of the people not involved with the crime
that the city experienced. It seemed, overall, to be a very dangerous and
unpleasant place to live. It seemed to starkly contrast the friendly, helpful
community that the Midwest was painted to be.
This could not be further from the truth in my experience in Denver. At
my internship, everyone is interested in talking with me and offering me
guidance for my career- often stopping by my desk of their own volition.
Shopping in a crowded grocery store is littered with “pardon me”
and “please excuse me.” Drivers here far excel the Midwest
with “curtesy waves,” which may be the single strongest
force keeping our society together. Even the homeless genuinely wish me well
after I decline to offer them any money.
My second week here I went snowboarding in the late afternoon and
evening after class was done for the day. As I was gathering my things to head
to the lift, two young men were coming off the slopes, laughing and chatting.
As they reached the parking lot they parted ways saying “nice
to meet you” to each other. It was crazy to me that
two people who had just met could seem so chummy. As I was closing my trunk,
one of the guys offered me a granola bar, which he said was an extra he packed,
and wished me warmth for my night skiing.
I think this has redefined how I view the city, and the world as
a whole. While I first thought that the city granted anonymity that led to the
crime and horridness that I described, I found that not everyone feels that way.
Some people, like the snowboarder I met, seem to see it as an opportunity to
spread loveliness and cheer at far more efficient rate than could be
accomplished in rural areas. Brushing shoulders with more people means having
more people whose days one can make better. It seems that if more people
adopted this philosophy, and shared it as far as they could, the world could be
just that much happier for all of us.
