The dawn of every day is a new beginning, and one of my favourite refreshing moments of the day is when I step outside and look at the refreshing beauty of the honest beauty of people acting through their day. There is a calming, easy flow to the early-morning lives of people, down the road day after day, and all the way from the frantic workers running off to their jobs to the shop owners and vendors that are setting up for their business day.
I value that refreshment, especially thinking about how important our sense of community can and could be. It's not only the walking, but it's those unplanned smiles, friendly comments, and engagements from people who are enjoying their day and who recognise that they are connecting with me. The contagiousness and simplicity in the power of a smile. A smile can express warmth, kindness, and unspoken hope. And this neighbourhood holds hope.
There are so many great moments because everyday people from this neighbourhood bring hope shields. A little nod from someone passing on the street, or a wave from another person in the small community saying "hello", feels like a little delight of bright sunshine. I miss the authentic communication and connection that is closest to this home and neighbourhood, and that reminds me that no matter how different we all feel, we can probably all agree on wanting peace, happiness, and a place of belonging.
A reminder that little things go a long way to sustain a place that feels like "home", and for me, this neighbourhood has given me that feeling several times. Every single second I have walked on these streets has been enjoyment. I am definitely solidified in my comfort. listening to people laughing together on the street while breathing in the bustle of working people on the way to and from their livelihoods, or just people acknowledging one another, strangers exchanging kindness.
I see these experiences as humanitarian beauty that comes without solicitation; it exists simply by the expressions of people's caring for one another. Not only are all of these everyday professional moments contributing to the aesthetic beauty of our place, but they also are part of another healthier, more elevated way of being. A community that is smiling, even if it is in passing, is not only shared strength but also warmth and positivity and is simply felt.
It creates desirable spaces for others to be engaged in – places where life is good. So, today I am sharing with all of my readers moments of this neighbourhood as you walk with me. I hope these words and photographs can remind us that if we do not look, we may miss the little things, the kindness from strangers, and everyday joy that makes up the foundation of meaningful community.
