unconscious permission

As I've said before, I have an inexplicable fear of getting in trouble. It's not so bad—it makes me more aware of my surroundings, more in tune with others, and innately more considerate. (I would never want to step on any one else's toes, after all.) But in the hustle and bustle of a New York rush hour, it can make getting where I need to go a little, well, awkward. Thankfully, there are strangers.

If you've ever been to a foreign place, and stayed long enough to become familiar with the local language, you may have noticed that certain phrases are repeated. In Ecuador, it is sigue no más, translated directly as "continue on, nothing more." Kind of like "go ahead" here. Sure, sometimes it's said in haste and annoyance, but no matter how hard they may try, I don't think it's possible to say without a bit of warmth. Groggily commuting this morning as I did, I heard it about a dozen times. People I'd never met (and will probably never see again) allowed me to continue on. And not only that, they encouraged me to do so. The point is: when I find myself walking on eggshells through life, as I too often do, these fleeting moments are welcome reminders to trust myself and to keep on going. Aw, strangers... gotta love 'em.

P.S. I do realize the photo above is totally and utterly unrelated to the content of this post. But, as my work day begins to include more and more outings (fun ones, I can assure you) I've also begun to take pictures of pretty little things that catch my eye. Like an old mail chute, for example :)