The Gift of Noticing

I realized something today.

I've always thought of myself as someone who enjoys walking in nature. And I do. When I went to Mount Nemo and walked the trails, looked at the trees, the cliffs, and the scenery, it was nice. It was peaceful.

But if I'm being honest, I'm starting to notice a pattern.

What I really love is cities.

I love walking through cities and observing people. I love the busyness, the movement, the sounds, the smells, the conversations, the storefronts, the alleyways, the little details that most people walk right past.

I think a lot of people want to escape to nature because they want to get away from life.

But I think I'm fascinated by life.

I remember going to Toronto last year. My main reason for going was to street preach in Dundas Square, but what I remember most wasn't the preaching.

It was the walk there.

Walking through the side streets.

The alleyways.

The back entrances to little shops.

The people.

The energy.

The feeling that every person I passed had a story.

I was completely captivated by it.

What's funny is that I see the same pattern in other places too.

One of my favorite games is Cyberpunk 2077. Most people play it for the missions, the action, or the progression.

But one of the things I love doing most is simply walking around Night City.

Looking at the people.

Watching the routines.

Observing daily life.

Taking in the atmosphere.

Just being present in the world.

And now I think I've finally figured out why photography feels so exciting to me.

It isn't really about photography.

It's about noticing.

It's about slowing down enough to see what is already there.

A cigarette butt-covered intersection.

A construction worker eating lunch.

A couple holding hands.

A tired face.

A moment of joy.

A moment of loneliness.

A moment of beauty.

A moment of struggle.

Most people see objects.

I see stories.

Today I realized that my Autopilot to Alive Instagram account doesn't need to be memes or motivational quotes.

It can become a gallery of observations.

A collection of moments that reveal what it means to be asleep and what it means to be alive.

Not through teachings.

Not through arguments.

Not through coaching.

But through attention.

Maybe photography is simply another way of doing what I've always done.

Looking beneath the surface.

Seeing the story.

And helping people notice it too.

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