Engaging In Activities That Impact Quality Living In Baltimore

    What's been nice about engaging in certain activities on a daily basis this summer in Baltimore is that they bring meaning, have an ongoing purpose and make for a quality life while living in my apartment, being in my neighborhood and attending GGWO. With that, I hope to invite you in to get a better picture of the activities that people around me or I engage in while at these specific locations in Baltimore. Please keep reading to find out more about what happens daily to better understand what the people or I value committing to in these places and I will try not to get too personal. Haha

    I have been at my apartment more this summer and of course given the changes after the pandemic for so many of us, people working from home has become a common daily lifestyle. Usually, the day begins with me in my apartment just enjoying living in communion with God by the Holy Spirit. This experience involves quietly listening to God, receiving His words to meditate in my mind and heart and obeying His voice. This in turn brings peace, life, spiritual guidance in doing what is right, edification and thoughts that I can live with. I know you may wonder why meditating is an activity to consider in a home environment, but it encourages quietness and satisfaction in my soul, and I have learned to enjoy not being around people better from practicing this. I heard from God as a kid but it was when I lived back in West Chester, PA back in 2012 that I grew to understand the value and purpose of meditating on truth.

    While growing up, my Dad held bible studies in our home. He made me memorize this popular verse and sometimes until this day still asks me to recite it. It says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8, KJV) This practice has become essential wherever I go, and especially while living in Mount Vernon where in my neighborhood I often hear sirens blaring from the cops, EMS or the fire trucks and arguments on the street. I am finding it necessary not to take peace and quiet lightly, and to appreciate that my home on a daily basis can be a place of serenity. I also have time to clean, study writing, cook, occasionally host guests, do reading, watch YouTube videos and catch up with my family. With that, being in my apartment is one of my favorite places in Baltimore.

    One of the things that make living at my apartment building special, is that the staff is easy to work with. After doing reviews online and hearing positive feedback from the residents before signing a lease, I was sure looking forward to finding out more about why people love it here. At the front desk, the staff welcome visitors, make sure residents are called about their guests before sending them to the residents' rooms, and email residents regarding deliveries. Sometimes we get to have discussions on how the day is going which encourages a more positive business working relationship. The maintenance staff is always prompt and friendly to respond to maintenance requests. The other day while I was at the gym, I noticed that the business office staff brought in some new residents and gave them a tour of the complex. This shows their commitment to not only care for current residents but also to open their space to new residents. Overall, in my apartment, a committed apartment staff really impacts the quality of the experience as a resident and they are great with allowing us to make use of their services.

    Along with a great staff, there are ways that the staff helps us stay organized with our resources. For example, as residents we make good use of the laundry room, business center and package deliveries. In the laundry room the residents make use of washers and dryers. It includes a table to place clothes on and a snack machine to purchase snacks. The walls are decorated with black and white photos of people doing laundry which brings character to this room. In the business center people can use computers for online work, tables to study, printer to print documents and dispose of confidential documents in the secure recycle bin. The residents also use easily accessible mailboxes after the mailman comes by to drop off the mail. We can easily pick up any packages at the front desk and sometimes packages can include food, furniture or literature. Overall, staying organized is key to living in a large tower with many residents but we also appreciate time to gather for recreational activities.

    Since I live in a high tower with 21 floors there are amenities that allow residents to engage in recreational activities. For example, they offer a gym, pool and a coffee and tea station. In the gym it is painted with blue walls and has motivational signs for people to stay focused on their workouts. People use the treadmills, stationary bike, elliptical, weights, stairmaster, mirrors and a workout ball. At the rooftop pool, people enjoy swimming and checking out the panoramic view of the city. This summer, the apartment staff hosted a luau on the rooftop so we got the chance to hold conversations, sit on the reclining seats and eat barbeque together. As residents we also enjoy the coffee and tea station where we can bring our own cups, select our coffee or tea of choice and fill them up. Finally, although these activities encourage residents to connect well with each other, we also can appreciate connecting with people outside of the building.

    There are activities that take place in my neighborhood more often than others. As I look out of my window, I mainly get to see people walking down the street and to and from their homes more. Since it is downtown, it’s very common for there to be busy traffic where visitors drive in their cars, play loud music and check out what the inner city has to offer. This one lady across the street likes to sit out on her balcony and relax. People like to use the parking lot across the street when visiting downtown for special events. There are also visitors who go to the Walters Art museum, a popular tourist attraction in the neighborhood. There is a park nearby where people like to read and hold discussions. It has a fountain in the middle where people can toss coins in it. People like to walk their dogs, and take their kids for strolls in the neighborhood. There is a library across the street where people go to do research. There is also a marketplace down the street where people have multiple selections to choose from in terms of restaurant booths for food and a seating area outside. On the street, there is metered parking so for people to park without getting ticketed, they usually have to pay .75 per hour. This depends on the time of day. There is also a restaurant connected to my apartment where people can get Italian food and eat outside. Overall, although there are some places I appreciate near my apartment, I still see the purpose of getting out of my neighborhood and going to church.

    At my church, since it’s a place where people grow in the knowledge of the truth and bring their families to learn God’s word, people gather often. The chapel is a large room where people sing worship songs, pray and listen to the pastors preach together. It is very family oriented and they have a children ministry as well as a ministry for married couples. There is a café where people order food, purchase books, drinks, and fellowship together at the tables. They host lunch raps where people can hear a bible message, bring their own food, have discussions and ask questions about what they learned. People go there from different parts of the world to study since it is a global outreach church. For example, this summer, I got the chance to meet with a woman from Mumbai, India and had dinner with her. She was a pastor’s wife back in her country before her husband died. I was so thankful to make her feel welcomed during her short stay. Overall time at church has been very edifying for my soul.

    In conclusion, the more I live here in Baltimore, I recognize that the activities that I engage in have to be something that encourages me to live well, not simply based on what people are offering. Being here knowing that God is with me and giving me wisdom while living in these places help me experience dwelling here safely and wholly. In a lot of ways, I am encouraged to be content due to having these experiences. I like to consider this for others here as well and I realize that sometimes people like for someone to be with them for them to really grow in partaking in certain activities. This summer for example a woman who I invited to church wanted to know if I could meet with her there if she went. I was willing, and look forward to meeting her in the future. Finally, it’s been great to have these rich experiences while living in Baltimore.