There is something special about the city.  Urban space has a life and mind of it’s own.  It’s culture, rhythms, colors, smells, and aesthetic proclaim it’s uniqueness.  While most suburban towns struggle to understand their identity, the city thrives in knowing it’s role.  There is a certain soul to the city that breathes life into those of us who choose to call urban spaces home.

At times, this “soul” of the city restores life.  The movement of commuters to and from work, the mixture of art and poverty, & the rhythms of rush hour & nightlife somehow say something deep about the way life is.  We are somehow refreshed by the simultaneous chaos & beauty of urban life.

At other times, it is these very movements of the city that steal life as we find ourselves pushed thoughtlessly through the paces of life and work.  We are no longer present to the beauty and to the people that make life in the city so meaningful.  We move about as if our souls have been stolen from us.

For me, I most find life in the people of the city and their diversity.  I love the thought of very different people form very different backgrounds living life side-by-side, learning from one another whether they realize it or not. It’s as if God is most present in the interactions of people who by cultural expectations should not talk to each other, let alone like each other.  Life is most stolen from me in the rush and pace of urban life.  As I become convinced that I can and should accomplish more, I cease to be aware of what’s REALLY going on around me – where God is most present, where He is at work, how His heart is breaking.

The hope of a project like the Open Abbey is to create exposure to the unique challenges of life in the city, while also giving attention to the various ways in which city-dwellers throughout the country thrive in the urban environment.  To accomplish this, it’s important that we establish a culture of shared learning and collaboration at the Open Abbey.

So… in this spirit, what are the most life-giving and the most life-stealing parts about the city for you?  Please share in the comments below and thanks for participating in the Open Abbey.