Photo by Lynda Grasso - Upsplash (Cover photo by Waldemar - Upsplash)
Artful moments tend to wake us up from our normal walking, talking slumber. Sure we’re awake at that moment but not fully appreciative of all that’s happening around us.
Yesterday’s artful moment transpired while turning on to a street near my home on the way back from a nature walk. I’ve driven this way so many times that it becomes automatic with nothing in particular that calls my attention, except on this occasion.
As I came to a stop sign, I glanced to my left just in time to see a young father and daughter in front of their home. It wasn’t their features or what they were wearing that caught my eye, it was what they were doing at that very moment.
The father was using an electric leaf blower to blow away the recently fallen leaves from the bordering sidewalk. At this moment you may be thinking to yourself a big whopping, “ So what”. I’ll explain further. Even though this man was engaging in something we’ve all seen before, perhaps more times than we care to remember, this scene still struck me as beautiful none the less.
While the leaves were flying forcefully in all directions except for the path in front of him, he was also holding his young daughter’s hand. His hand-holding helped to steady her tiny feet forward while she gently pranced alongside him. I had never seen this image before. Of course I’ve seen the same images separately and can easily imagine it in my minds eye, but this was the first occasion seeing it upfront and personal. It touched me and that’s what made it artful and magical.
Photo by Alvan Nee from Upsplash
This heartwarming scene wouldn’t necessarily be classified as spectacular or even remarkable but it did pull on my heartstrings enough so to lodge the moment into my memory bank as something special. It made me wonder how the little girl pictured that exact moment. Did she view the leaves as fanciful flying creatures that danced in the air solely for her delight? Did she think her daddy had special powers to make the leaves do exactly what he commanded? Or maybe she thought none of these things and was too thrilled to be holding her daddy’s hand to notice?
I guess I’ll never know what she was thinking, but I know I was meant to see that moment and write about it. It may not fall exactly into the category of something to write home about but definitely something that qualifies for an artful moment, don’t you think?
What are some artful moments you’ve encountered lately? As you can tell, they don’t have to be grand or monumental, just splendid little moments.
Cheers and Best wishes,
Julie (Juju) Hickman
If you’re so inclined, you can listen to today’s song choice.
