The internet is an amazing thing. Whether it be texting your friend in the same room as you or sussing out the details of a project being done hundreds of miles away, the ability to be together, no matter where you are, is such a gift.
I grew up fairly lonely, struggling to make friends. When I did make friends they would always happen to move away for whatever reason. But the internet kept them “alive” to me. Connections were never lost, just changed. I was content with this for a while, but people got older, or busy or the relationships changed. I had to change as well. Sure, I could continue with keeping my inner circle 500+ miles away from me, OR, I could go find them.
I learned a lot being alone, however. How to beautify the space that I live in. How to keep my mind healthy and how to love myself and others.
Now I always want to start with beautifying the space around me. Because if you don't like where you are, then what's the point in being there? For this photo, of course, the waterfall just off the back porch. The idea of seeing that everyday and feeding off its powerful energy? Wonderful. Great. Good times. Then to what I'm wearing. Some days you want to just blend in with your environment to get the whole show. I'm wearing these great shorts and sweater that I thrifted. Comfortable, stylish, vintage? Sustainable, for the win, eh? Then it’s to the porch itself. Sure, the porch is always wet because of the waterfall, but being able to touch your feet down on a cool wood floor first thing on a hot summer morning is nothing to complain about. I can imagine having friends over later in the day, watching the sun go down and the waterfall just doing its absolute best. Couple beers, and a lot of lovely moments.
Lastly, my connection to my friends, colleagues, and the world. My device. Everyone’s got one. iPhone, Samsung, Google, you name it. Everyone’s got a connection to everyone else. I actually fabricated this one. The original device was an old dead Nook from probably a decade ago. I liked the soft paperlike surface of the screen, like my old Gameboy Color from when I was a kid. Just imagine doing work on your Gameboy everyday. I’d never put the thing down! And as you can see, I haven't. The e-mail on the screen was actually based off a photoshoot I went on a few days prior to making this photo. This was with my best friend and his University’s race car team. Just for context, they built a F1 (I think) style race car and maintain and improve on it, as well as race it. So, the email on my device reads, “Engine Trouble: Unfortunately, the engine wouldn't start. Had us in the lot trying to push start for a bit.. Didn’t work. Oh well. We’ll keep working,” and then my thumb got in the way. I really liked the look and feeling of the screen and email, again going back to the Gameboy, it reminded me of the various notes that show up when you start up your Pokemon save file. The character I was playing for this was a member of the racing team, working from home. One of his colleagues was catching him up on things. I held a sturdy hand on the hip, I always imagine my glasses down the brim of my nose like a dad checking the morning paper.
That same device could be used for so many things. Working for hours to build a race car and everything that goes into that. To texting your friends to come and hang out on the porch for the evening. Looking at funny pictures. Or taking a photo of a beautiful life that you have been given. Humans are meant to connect with each other. Over the last few years, pandemic, hate and political— “adventures,” we’ll say—we need to be connected now more than ever. Closer to each other and kinder to ourselves. And it's all one text away, one”like” away, one photograph away.
