“My soul has grown deep like the rivers”*
by chuckofish
St. Louis in 1846
“The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book–a book that was a dead language to the uneducated passenger, but which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.”
– Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi
I have lived in the city on the River nearly my whole life and I always know where I am in relation to the river. I always know or feel where it is–running north and south and I am “situated” that way. I cannot imagine not living by a river or some body of water. I wonder if other people feel this way?
*Langston Hughes
dual personalities 
Yes! I always felt that way about the mighty Mississippi, but now I tend to situate myself in relation to the lakes (Champlain and Ontario).
I live on an island. And I never know where I am below 14th Street.
I think living on an island would be very confusing! And two rivers!
When I visit places like Kansas City it’s really hard to find my bearings because they DON’T have anything like the Mighty Mississip. It’s also really weird how you can walk one block over and you’re in Kansas… so odd.
But they do have the Missouri River and I suppose one would get used to that.