Aurovilians and Chicago's architecture

We had a wonderful day yesterday -- beginning with breakfast in the Club. We found that in these interesting circumstances which bring us together, it was possible to talk of many things which concern us as Aurovilians, it was a good meeting. Then we followed Deepti's enthusaistic lead and set out to see the city -- we were headed for the Art Musem but on the way were drawn into the Institute of Architecture and took the 10.00 tour with Cathy Van Dyke -- and what an excellent tour it was. So wonderfully American for our French and Indian guests: Cathy was so candid, knowledgeable, articulate and completely down to earth. It was so clear how the life force leads American "progress" -- in the stories of Burnham et.al. And the beauty of lobbies was something none of us had taken proper notice of before: the Marquette is particularly memorable with it shimmering mosaics and honoring of the native Americans...i could go on but, let me say that it has been an eye-opener for me. Coming back after many years, and knowing what the ecological and civil rights idealists were wishing for America, i see in the children playing in the water fountain at the Millennium Park, in the wild flowers replanted in the gardens, in the interactive planning video... in the smiles on peoples' faces, and a new sense of self so obvious in the way black people carry themselves, that many of these wishes are coming true, in subtle ways. I think the Whole Earth dreamers and their next generation successors will continue to dream for more and better futures, but something of the green dream is happening. For Aurovilians, who are building a city of the future, it is inspiring to see what a megapolis like Chicago, driven mostly by market based values, can become: behind the commercial values the deeper values of community, equality, perfection, beauty, strength and wisdom shine through. Really we cannot escape from God, she is with us no matter how we seem to ignore her. I have to thank the New Meomentum folks for the gracious they are giving, and the sense of being part of something we don't understand but trust...