“A watched pot never boils.” There is a common understanding in our society that when we watch something slowly, the result never comes. “Watching paint dry” refers to anything boring and terrible to do. I think this can be a dangerous way of thinking. How many people do you know or have heard adults say that life passes by so quickly, and that one day you suddenly wake up and you’re 60? Speed is important in our society, and the lack of patience has only been worsened by phones. I am not somebody who believes in “no social media” or being off your phone at all times.
I love my phone, truly, I do not think I would be half as good a person if not for the internet. However, the art of living slowly is scorned in our society.
I like looking at how the trees sway in the wind, how a Tarot reader’s sign looks in their shop window, what buildings are on the street, what shoes everyone is wearing, and how certain rooms smell differently from others. What backpack someone is wearing while riding a bicycle, what color people’s eyes are, how a group of people laughs, how children smile, and how owners and dogs coincide.
I think these small things are what make me feel most alive. Really acknowledging where I am and who I am with. A fear of mine is waking up one day and looking around, not quite sure how I got to where I am. I want to be aware of every life decision, every moment that has taken me to the next. Possibly overanalyzing; however, no one in my life would describe me as someone who lacks intensity.
These photos were taken within 24 hours on a random Tuesday, and I’m really trying to romanticize my life, no matter how difficult it may seem—an ode to the small moments that make up life.
