The Midwest & Why I Love It

Hey y'all! My name is Eli, and welcome to Midwest Muse! Midwest Muse will be covering everything from the Midwest, including music, movies, history, animals, photos, traditions, and more. Since this is my first blog post for UIC Radio, I thought I'd kick things off with a quick overview of the region itself and why it is so important to me.

Sourced from cluelesswrld on Pinterest

The Midwest officially consists of twelve states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. While most of the region is made up of farmland and countless small towns, there is actually a lot of environmental diversity. Northern Michigan boasts beautiful forests, the Great Lakes offer breathtaking coastlines, South Dakota is home to the Black Hill Mountains and the Badlands, and the Northern Lights can be seen in Minnesota during the winter and spring. If one's fondness lies in urban areas, no worries; the Midwest is home to Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Detroit, and Milwaukee. This is one way to view the Midwest, focusing on the aspects that society typically associates with beauty - forests, mountains, beaches - while overlooking the broader, everyday parts of the region.

Don't get me wrong - the fact that the Midwest is home to so many different ecosystems is beautiful. However, I find that most of my appreciation for the region comes from what many consider flat, boring, and repetitive. What has truly captured my heart are the acres of farmland, the deserted towns, the barns with chipped white paint and rotting wood, the vastness of the sky, and the tall prairie grass. If you look closely, there is a quiet balance between nature and industrialism in giant windmills, pylons, and commercial grain bins that I find oddly enchanting. The slow pace of life in rural Midwest dulls the perceived severity of its religious motifs and weather. This can be felt in the eerie silence after a tornado, in the billboard that reads "HELL IS REAL," and in the roadkill on the side of the road. Everything feels so perfectly equal and simple.

Photo taken by Eli Mirek

Because of a perceived lack of excitement, most consider the Midwest dull or boring compared to the fast-paced East Coast or colorful West Coast. I disagree. One must learn to slow down and think deeply about seemingly small things in order to fully appreciate the depth of the region and its beauty. Make connections and notice the tension between nature and industry. Appreciate the contrast of a simple wooden electric pole against the pink sky during a sunset. Visit antique stores, listen to the stories of families who have lived in the same town for generations, take photos, or simply drive for hours. When it comes to the Midwest, there is so much more than meets the eye.

The philosophy of appreciating simplicity and finding meaning in the tiniest things is why I have found so much love for the Midwest. The region is my birthplace and home. No matter where I will end up in the future, it will always have a place in my heart. I could talk about it endlessly. So, appreciate the small things!

Cover Image taken by Kyle Thompson.