Witness 05: Collecting Little Bits of Life
The simple pleasure of making adventures out of the ordinary
A QUIET JOY
FROM YOU
We walk the same route every morning. We know where the pavement dips, where the friendly lady lives and where the best smells are to sniff. But one morning, the discovery of a rogue feather changed our walks forever. Turning our monotonous routine into an essential mission. A mission to uncover, collect and ultimately abandon any feathers we could find. My dogs new feather obsession came as a reminder that when you allow yourself to be present, curious and open to the glorious little things, you can find change, adventure and joy right where you are.
Sian, North Devon
A REFLECTION FROM ME
When I wasn't forcing those Pepto Bismol-pink shoes onto Barbie's raised heels, I was looking into the depths of my imagination for a game to play. As an only child, I realised at an early age that outside of my mum and friends, I could always whip up an adventure from somewhere inside myself. Best believe that to this day I have never once been bored.
I treated life like a playground, like most of us did when we were kids. Pretending the floor was lava while we jumped on sofas. Avoiding the cracks in pavements for reasons I can't remember. Leaping over puddles. Searching for hidden treasures in parks and counting yellow cars. We collected little bits of life, stored them up and allowed them to teach us how to see this world differently.
As adults with responsibilities, increasingly less time and the bothersome pressure to adult sufficiently; the sense of exploration and adventure easily slips away. Why befriend your local snails when we're supposed to be prioritising success, buying properties, finding partners and ticking off societal milestones?
It's a struggle to find the time or the will to slot in long-ass wellbeing practices, but when we live in the perspective that we get to collect these little bits of life, we can access that childlike curiosity whenever we want to. It's an ever-present and just fun way of remembering the joy of being here.
Whether we're searching for feathers, Berger collecting found playing cards in Sex and The City or counting everything green that you come across on your next walk. Life gets to be an adventure in these daily scenes. In between commutes and cocktails. It gets to exist without us making it a thing. It can start with a question, mission, intention or a focus. A hobby without the effort. A noticing.
We get to explore this land with fresh eyes, unburdened by assumptions and the “I've already seen this” of yesterday. Each day gets to be a new opportunity for collecting bits of life.
Because, it is a collection. We hold on to these ways of seeing, we share them with people, write about them in a journal, pass them on to children, and we take them with us. When we explore new places or even familiar ones, the memories of them in all of their everydayness come with us, captured alongside all of the other moments.
We travel the same streets, stumble upon the same faces, have the same routines, alternate between the same dinners and TV shows. Within the familiar we get to nudge in encounters of difference and exploration. Mini adventures that come from changing the route you walk to the train station, giving someone a (genuine) compliment in the office, doing the opposite of your usual weekend routine, trying a random recipe you see on TikTok and watching the show you were convinced you'd hate.
It's low-effort adventuring.
It's where the potential for joy, wonder and freshness can ease in.
4 Little Practices For…
QUIET JOY
WRITE…
About one thing that brought you joy this week, and feel free to submit it for this newsletter.
SEND…
A mini love note to someone you love to spread the joy around.
GO…
Here if you fancy an exploration date without leaving the house. It took me so long to write this newsletter, because I kept pressing “go” on this website.
DO…
Whatever you loved doing as a child. Paint, draw, dance, bake, buy a dress-up game on your phone, ride your bike, play football; let yourself be silly.