Happy Like a Kid

Analog vs digital, a newfound joy

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My memory today goes back to last fall, when I took a walk in the park as the sun was hitting the wet grass. Not a big park just a neighborhood park, where residents walk their dogs and chat. The leaves on the trees reflect all sort of color, except for blue maybe. Yellow, orange, red, purple, and of course green, plus tons of their variations. For a moment I feel like I am wandering in Central Park. In addition to the beauty of these big overlapping masses of color, I realize the magic is also given by the carpet of fallen leaves at the feet of every tree, and by the translucency of the sunlight thru them.

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Instinctively I pulled out the phone to take 'beautiful photos' -- for the sake of it and as possible later panting references. Ops my photo memory and 100 gb storage are full! Darn it, I knew I needed to slim down the thousand of pics I hold, and by no way I will add more today! 

So I contemplated the Idea of keeping the moment for myself, just as a memory. No need to record everything that happens in my life. In the process I picked up a couple of leaves from the ground to look closer. In a few minutes I collected two dozens of different samples. It reminded me when we were kids and would collect stuff all over the place, to play, make a gift, or simply manipulate material. 

The feeling of a stronger connection to the place and its nature revamped in me! Digging my shoes into the wet grass, find a way to hold the bunch with one hand while bending down and get my hands dirty - was way more fulfilling than the easy touch on the camera screen to quickly pass on. Maybe normal if you live in the big wild, but very unusual for the city slicker I am!

This might be called analog in the digital era. Then took one, and only one pic of the bunch and went home holding my treasure tight. Happy like a kid!

Merry Christmas!🎄 Francesco

      I can't wait to return to the US in April 2022, 12 - 14 for a watercolor workshop in Dallas, and for more initiatives TBA. Click here to talk about making something special happen!

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