city? country?

I love to go into the city, to wander around, soaking in the frenetic chaos and noise, the myriad of people and buildings and things to tickle and tease the mind.
I love riding the bus and seeing an amazingly beautiful person walking a diamond collared dog, knowing I will never see that person again.
I love popping in and discovering a new museum or shop that has magical things previously unknown to me.
I love a great meal in a cozy restaurant, featuring the best food on the planet.
Somewhere I read that New York City has more French restaurants that Paris -- could that be true?
All the sights and sounds and tastes and glorious explosion of humanity that is the city is a wondrous place to go get inspired.

and I also love being in the quiet of nature, hugging a tree, laying in the grass admiring the sky.
I love to wander on a path in the woods, hearing nothing but birds and chattering squirrels, angry that I am interrupting their reverie.
I seem to need both of these places in my life.
But we only live in one place at a time.
Or do we have to?
I am envisioning a way to get the best of both worlds, not sure yet how it will happen, but one day, it might.



"The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this."

-Tao Te Ching