One day, I was chatting with a friend from China whom I met through social media. We found ourselves talking about a particular flower species that I’ve found breathtakingly beautiful. I shared how one of the main reasons I travelled to China was to see this flower in person and touch the petals with my own hands. As the conversation went on, I sent her some photos I took of the flowers during my trip.
She exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, this tree is everywhere here! The flowers are scattered all over the ground during spring. I never looked at them this way before. I love how you find so much happiness and beauty in the smallest things.”
Her words stayed with me. It wasn’t that I wanted to impress her, but maybe, just maybe, I wanted to live up to that perspective she admired in me. It reminded me of how some women praise their partners for mopping the floor impeccably, only for those partners to commit to spotless floors forever after. It felt a little like that—I willingly stepped into the role.
In a way, it also made me notice that oftentimes, we only appreciate the little things when we are travelling. Is the grass always greener on the other side? Or is it just us who don’t look at our own grass?
And so, a ritual began. It started with this one friend, but soon, the ripple effect touched everyone in my close circle, including me. It reshaped my routines, starting with something as simple as brewing coffee with intention (read the story here).
“Hey, look! The sunrise is so pretty today.”
“I know you love the sea, and it’s rare to see it in mainland China, so here’s a video I took just for you.”
“I saw this adorable cat on the street!”
“Sending you some photos of the beautiful heritage buildings in my city.”
Even on days when I didn’t leave the house, there was always something to share: a random song I stumbled upon, a thought-provoking article, clouds framed by my window, or the cute faces of my hamster. There's always something!
1. Our lives weren’t as mundane as we thought.
By consciously capturing these moments, we became more mindful of how we spent our time and began to see our days through a lens of gratitude. In a way, this was a perfect blend of gratitude and mindfulness.
2. Our photography and aesthetics improved.
We trained our eyes to find beauty even in the most ordinary scenes. When it seemed like there was none, we simply shifted our perspective to discover it. This simple practice turned into a lifestyle change, one that we all agreed was worth the effort (correction: fun!)
To me, the act of someone sending me a happy, fun, or funny memory is a sweet and somewhat romantic gesture. Even if we don’t meet in person and are miles apart, it implicitly says, “I thought of you.” - that's sincerity and love in my eyes.
Everything can become a story. Everything already is a story. It’s up to us to elevate our lives, to lift ourselves out of monotony and embrace a more romantic, expansive way of living. We’re the ones who have the power to build better philosophies around joy, pleasure, and beauty. Because in the end, life is full of stories waiting to be told, we just have to start noticing them.
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