When in Montreal
Apr 2, 2026 | By Evelyn Hernandez Chico TC ‘29
When in Montreal, specifically Old Montreal, I recommend looking at the sky. I recommend looking at the birds. If it happens to be the case that rain or snow has recently fallen, I recommend looking at the puddles too.
Not too long ago, I visited Montreal for the first time. I relished in the charm of the cobblestone streets, I admired the grandeur of Notre Dame Basilica, and I was fascinated by the Underground City.
Despite all these beautiful features, it was the aforementioned sky, birds, and puddles that I have been thinking about the most. I have been thinking about the wonderful people whom I’m immensely grateful to call friends and spend time with.
I must admit that I’ve been thinking about this trip because it’s made me realize how ungrateful I’ve been. Few are the times in which I’ve actually stopped to think about the beauty of simply living. For so long, I’ve neglected the many blessings that God has given me. As a college student, I should rejoice in knowing that I am engaging in the pursuit of the life of the mind. I am not just learning but am surrounded by incredible people. I know that I am loved. Despite this, every so often, it feels like it’s not enough. It feels like something is missing. Something is missing, and I don’t know what it is.
I am no longer in Montreal, but that experience serves as a reminder that every day, I am surrounded by His beautiful creations. Seeing the familiar sky, birds, and puddles in Montreal only reminded me to appreciate these things when I came back home. I recognize that perhaps it seems a little absurd that it took going to a different country to remember to be grateful. After all, that sky, those birds, and puddles don’t look much different in other places. Yet, it is this very fact that has delighted me. It is the fact that it doesn’t require one to go far to find beauty in the ordinary. Though God’s beauty manifests everywhere, it is I who misses it.
So when in Montreal, or really, anywhere, I think being intentional about finding the beauty in His creations and being grateful for it is quite the delightful thing to do.