Do you remember the rainbow that formed
As we stood before Buckingham Fountain?
Some say first impressions are unimportant
But I’d say that one surely counted

And do you recall the rides on the train
Group dinners and walks by the water?
Swimming in sunlight, strolling in rain
And the countless questions we’d ponder?

That snowball fight in Millennium Park
Telling stories in the dark
And the quests we embarked on
Beauty in being curious
Like that fox alluring us
Forgive me, my one gift is wordiness

And yours is maps of existence
You bear such resistance
To the world’s hinderances
And my world view expands
Each time we discuss our plans
For navigating the grand and unknown

Though we are shown otherwise,
In this life we hold the gift of choice
Although I often wonder why
When I hear this city’s name, it’s in your voice
But I know our journeys are intertwined
From Chicago, Illinois
To foreign seas and skies

So here I stand
Having traveled to an unfamiliar land
No longer photos and stories
Now I know first-hand
What a profound delight
It is to soak in this coastal light
Like Lewis said in his song
I won’t live long
But this feels right