E-signs

Sometimes I take Madison Ave. to work. It's a four lane highway and a straight shot into the West Loop. A left turn onto Ogden and another left onto Randolph and I'm at the office. I drive through neighborhoods that have struggled for decades and ones experiencing gentrification. I go past the United Center with statues of Michael Jordan and Bobby Hull. There are hospitals to my right and townhomes to the left. Recently I started paying attention to signs and billboards, particularly when the first word started with the letter E. I found such signs fell into two categories: things I was offered and things I should do.

Express was the word that actually started this line of thinking. The sign for Express Beauty made me chuckle since, in my opinion, true beauty takes decades and doesn't come in a jar or in minutes. In fact, the only express beauty I know is out in nature when I see the sun rise or set over the horizon or a rainbow appears. A couple miles down the road I’m offered Express Liquors. Again, I'm out of sync, for even with the little imbibing that I do, I know spirits are something to be savored, not gulped, even if you can purchase them quickly. Besides those express things, along the way I can choose Economy parking or an Exclusive cellular experience.

During recent weeks signs on this route encouraged me to Elect certain candidates (mostly Danny Davis who was in no danger of losing). If we exclude those signs, I am exhorted to Educate, Evangelize and Enhance. No surprise that Educate is on a sign for a day care center and Evangelize, a storefront church, but it's my nails I'm supposed to Enhance.

Just two weeks ago billboards were euphoric as we reveled in a Cubs win that brought people together, had strangers celebrating and singing in the el cars. Now we need signs to inspire us to be Energized as we prepare for an Ending. Luckily, with an ending, we can mold a beginning. Every day we can get up, put one foot in front of the other. We can find the energy to Engage, one on one, and work for change. We will Endure.

Marilyn