Monthly reflections for thoughtful creatives from author Samantha Garner, a creative advisor for introverted or ND creatives. Learn more here.
"Attention is the beginning of devotion"
Sometimes you notice something that feels like it wasn't meant for you. But that somehow makes it feel more meaningful.
A boy crosses the street towards school. It's cold but his jacket is unzipped and hangs from his shoulders. He calls cheerfully to his waiting teacher, “I just saw some of my old friends but I walked right by them!” And I think of all the worlds of meaning in this scene.
Or, a day in Calgary long ago. I'm walking home along the frozen river. Snow falls lazily, sticking to my wool coat, my eyelashes, and the ends of my hair. Someone is cross-country skiing on the river. I keep pace with her and watch, noticing her movements. At one point she stops and touches something with a pole, turning it over. I watch and wonder if it's garbage, or a frozen animal. When the skiier and I get to the riverbend, she skiis out of sight and I realize I'm home. I cross the street without looking. It's so quiet.
I think these are my favourite rewards of attention, the things that don’t belong to me but stay anyway. As an introvert it feels so easy for me to feel apart from others, for better or for worse. But distance doesn't have to mean isolation, I'm realizing. Maybe these little moments feel poignant because I'm outside of them. I notice glimpses of other lives that weren't meant for me. It makes them honest, I think. Real moments of people being themselves feels like a direct connection to the fact of being human. It makes me more inspired to write, to photograph, more than anything else.
Your turn to get curious
Reflection: What was the last unmeant-for-you moment that you caught out in the world? Why has it stuck with you?
Happy creating,
-Samantha.