One of my favorite things to do is to try and notice the things that other people notice.
It’s sort of like playing Eye Spy, but you don’t know what you’re looking for so you watch other people and guess at what they might be looking for. Or maybe what they found while looking for something else.
Like earlier today.
It’s sunny and cool, but summery and lively. The street’s bustling with people who’re out and about and I hear music somewhere off in the distance. I’m cooling down with a mellow-ish walk after finishing up my run, and I’m slowly making my way toward home around the corner. This hill, man—sometimes I run up it to finish off my run with a challenge, but not today. Nope. Today, I’m just happy I ran at all. I almost didn’t. It took a very loud, very persistent, internal chorus of “You’ll feel better! You’ll feel better! You’ll feel better!” on repeat before I finally dragged my ass out the door and did the damn thing.
But I did do it, and that’s something.
Today was a hard day. Sometimes, on days like today, I wonder if I should try to spin things into a more positive collection of words for this column. I worry about the collective context—the cumulative ~vibe~ of these entries—when stacked together, and what story they create. Or, better yet, what the perception might be of the broader story I’m sharing, and whether it’s one of struggle, or triumph, or discovery. Does it drone on and on? And do I seem “ok?”
You know, stuff like that. Just a regular ol’ routine visit from my inquisitive friend, Hyper-Vigilance to tempt me into filtering myself.
But I don’t do it, and that’s something, too.
Once upon a time, I would’ve. Maybe. But that time is no more, and I’m willingly bound to the codes of radical honesty. So, I reaaally try to steer clear of performative drivel here. However... if and when I fail (it’s ok, we all do), please hold me accountable. Deal?
Ok, cool.
So I’m walking up this hill, and a woman’s walking down the sidewalk toward me, until she stops mid stride. Seemingly in one fluid motion, she pivots and leans her face right into the lilac bush that’s overflowing into our path. Then, she inhales with the verve of a Looney Toons character and a big satisfied smile washes over her.
She catches me noticing what she’s noticed.
“You should try it” she says.
So I do.
And it made my day better.
Our Daily MAP Year Prompt
264/365
Do you pay attention to where other people spend theirs?
onward.
For more on this daily column and The MAP Year Project, read the backstory.
Sign up to get it here.