City Life: Communities That Work

Well, mine does, and it works well. I live in the beautiful, quaint and social neighborhood of Tuscany-Canterbury. We are sandwiched between two other extraordinary Baltimore neighborhoods, Roland Park and Guilford.

Each area has something to boast. Roland Park is known for its country-like appeal, with an abundance of wildlife, streams and trails. Guilford is known for its gardens (most notable, Sherwood Gardens), lavish homes and picturesque streets.

Tuscany-Canterbury has its own unique charm, with stylish row homes, community gardens, stunning architecture (most notable: The Scottish Right Temple, which was designed by noted architect and Scottish Rite Mason Clyde N. Friz and renown neoclassical architect John Russell Pope), Hollywood legends (the sometimes creepy, but always cool, talented and handsome John Waters along with John Astin), a few stylish cafés and the Johns Hopkins University, which is at the end of my street (because of its size, I consider JHU part of my neighborhood, too).

I love my neighborhood because it has charm and grace. It’s always alive and keeps its fresh appeal because this is where the young and old converge. No matter where you go you’ll see lots of interaction between the generations. I’m all about being the Boy Scout and helping the little old lady across the street, but in my area (more often than not), you’ll find the little old lady helping others. You’ll see her run several miles each day, cycling or maybe hanging out at the One World Café (a vegetarian restaurant) feasting on healthy food, adult beverages and talking life.

I labeled this post "City Life: Communities That Work" because the people in my neighborhood are involved in their community. Many of us care deeply about keeping our neighborhood clean, safe and green. More importantly, we care about maintaining it for future generations.

The building I live in has strong character, charm and is definitely a working community. There is such meaningful interaction. If going out of town, there is always a neighbor willing to water the plants or garden, bring in the newspaper, feed the family pet and collect the mail. If you’re ill, there is always someone asking, "How are you feeling? Can I help you?  Is there something you need?"  When neighbors see each other we never need to make the effort to talk.  We just do it, which always leads to laughter and, on occasion, a hug of inspiration or of support.

Communities work when people care about more than themselves. Communities become strong, thrive and grow when people take an interest, and do more than say, "I’m going to help or you can count on me." We are the kind of people who "say what we mean and mean what we say."  Not too long ago, a few of my friends (who grew up the city with me, but now reside in either the county, country or parts of suburbia) said to me, "You need to get out of the city and see how real people live." All I could do was laugh, while the whole time I was thinking, "You don’t know me at all, and you surely don’t know what you are talking about."

To those friends I say, I’ve been lucky because I grew up with the best of both worlds. I grew up in the city. On occasion I spent holidays and summers in the country. I moved to the county, then to the country and suburbia, moved far away to the desert and now I am right back where I started, in the city of Baltimore, where some of the best communities exist.

To many, when I say city, they think of crime, poverty, theft and an over abundance of pigeons. You see what you want to see. I keep coming back to the city because it has what I need, neighborhoods with communities that work well together. There are many of us who are resilient and extremely proud of our contributions.

Some of my favorite activities are done right here in the city. I enjoy sitting outside at a cozy café and people-watch. I can lay in an open field and read or play Scrabble near a beautiful garden or lily pond. I often walk or run on trails next to a stream while listening to birds sing (and on occasion I see a deer or two galloping through someone’s lawn). I can see horses in a stable being brushed by their owners. I go to lectures at one of the most infamous and prestigious universities in the country. I get to enjoy breathtaking American and European art at two museums (one of them is only a few blocks from my home). I can snap pictures of fish in streams, beautiful leaves falling from trees, and winter landscapes. I can visit living and deceased painters, sculptors, musicians, philanthropists, poets and writers… some are neighbors, some are friends, some I listen to at a lecture and others just happen to be at the Green Mount Cemetery. I also get to enjoy opera that will capture your heart and classical music that will steal your soul.

We owe so much to the forward thinkers who are long gone. They are the ones who built these awesome neighborhoods, forging strong communities. I hope this generation and the next will not let them down. I hope they will choose city life. If you do, take upon yourself to aid a community that is struggling. I ask you to help these troubled communities work again and work as well as mine. – paerki