I lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas in Houston for 32 years. When I first arrived, it was hard to see past the endless sprawl of freeways, peppered with tire stores, strip clubs, and heavy industry. As time passed, I better understood what gave Houston it’s beauty; the rich tapestry of people from all parts of the world, whether they were here for the Texas Medical Center (the largest medical complex in the world), the thriving energy sector, the vibrant arts scene, or the two major universities, they brought their unique cultures with them.
Houston and the Gulf Coast are laced with bayous and the gnarly natural worlds that surround them. At first glance, those spaces are untidy, just like the city itself but during the Covid pandemic, those outdoor spaces all of the sudden became sacred. Houston’s tangled bayou greenways and natural landscapes were a welcome escape from the relentless horrors of politics and the pandemic that marched across our devices every day. The city’s rich urban natural environments offered a tangible balm from the chaos of current events, a place to slow down and be present.