I Live in a Multiverse

 

For those who do not hear the term “multiverse” regularly, let me offer some definitions that will help you understand this blog – as well as why there are so many versions of Spider-Man.

Science - Multiverse is a theoretical concept proposing that our universe, with all its billions of galaxies and observable space, is not the only one.

Marvel Universe – In these stories featuring Spider-Man, Iron Man and their many friends, the same character can exist across different universes with different life paths, known as "variants". (Thanks to the many children and grandchildren who have tried to explain this to me.)

Nana’s Metaphorical Multiverse – My home and the communities ten miles to either side represent three different worlds, and I live my life in each.

I was born in Galena Park, and after a nomadic childhood and a couple of short apartment stops just outside the city limit, I have lived here my entire adult life. This is a small community nestled on the banks of the ship channel where we are soothed to sleep with the clacking of trains on the railroad tracks that surround us. We wake to the horns of tugboats and freighters. We have a city hall, police department, library, and a McDonald's tucked among many  taquerias. And we have history. History that includes the first Hispanic family to live here (Martin’s grandparents), the site of Santa Anna's capture, and the iconic Washburn Tunnel. We are a tight-knit community buzzing with neighborhood life and Tejano music.

If you leave my house and drive 10 miles east on Market Street, the scenery stretches out — more of a rural vibe, open space, a quieter rhythm. More tractors and pickup trucks. You may know that Jalen Hurts, star quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, is from the town of Channelview. But you may not know that I attended elementary school there. My dad nurtured his desire to be a farmer by building a house in Channelview and raising chickens, pigs, and cows.  

But if you drive ten miles west on Market Street, you will find yourself in downtown Houston. You may have heard of it – the fourth largest city in the United States. I worked for 27 years in the museum district. Yes, there were lots of cars, restaurants, museums, skyscrapers, light rail, and buses. The population in Houston is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse in the United States. An amazing metropolis.

What makes all this kind of amazing is how fast the shift happens.  No giant welcome sign announcing you’ve crossed into another realm.  Just a few miles, and the vibe changes. It feels like someone toggled a setting: rural openness to suburban density to metropolitan energy.

And I live in this multiverse. I go to Channelview regularly for haircuts and car repairs. I drive to Houston for the theaters and to visit my doctors in the world’s largest medical complex.  I sit in my backyard in Galena Park with Evan, and we identify the sounds of trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes.

Channelview, Galena Park, Houston. Same region. Same sky. Different universes.