A Little Sad

As I was riding the bus yesterday, I looked out the window at this city that we have made our home.  I was remembering the way it was when I fell in love with Prince Charming 14 years ago.  It felt so shiny and new.  While I am aware that part of it was because I was in love and the whole world was wonderful, there were tangible changes that are plain to see.

There are areas of this lovely city that used to be so full of history and striking architecture.  And while even in the older areas of town, the architecture is technically still there, some of it is masked by urban decay.  It is spoiled by vandalism and broken, boarded windows. It is hidden behind an air of poverty, sadness, hopelessness, and indifference.

I walk by the old bookstores we used to love to wander through that are now abandoned and I wonder if I could peak in behind the boards in the windows, would I see the walls still lined with the thousands book spines that had been attached to them in the stores previous  life.  I wonder what became of the thousands of books that were like a cluttered treasure hunt, with so many wonders there to discover.

As I walk by the former cute little vegan cafe, with it's darkened windows and it's graffiti covered doors, I wonder if the owners have moved to another location or whether they gave up their dream as so many of the people sitting on the sidewalk with downcast eyes seem to have done.  It is simply so sad to me.

I LOVE history.  I love to learn about the story of the neighborhoods, and while there are parts of the city that are taken care of and are still rich in historical beauty, it seems so many places are just fading away, historical wonders simply lost in the race to move on to something new and wonderful.