Walking Together

This past week has been true to the old saying about March-- "In like a lamb out like a lion",  The winds have been roaring and the temperatures have felt colder due to the damp and rainy conditions.  I remained inside and began sorting through old digital files when I came upon this one, an old favorite.

It is a favorite photo because it shares a very simple story in symbolic way.  This unposed photo was taken within the hallway at a local elementary school nearly twelve years ago.  Ethically, I feel comfortable posting it because the children are not identifiable.  Furthermore, I was invited to take photos within the building that day understanding the guidelines surrounding my task.

What struck me as I was taking the photo was it was so characteristic of younger elementary kids behavior when they placed within an environment that feels a bit too big for them.  When I looked at the digital print, I noted how the various elements within the photo spoke to the message that it's good to travel with others .  I liked the dreamy reflections on the floor behind them, and the light from the opaque glass blocks ahead of them.  The children walked confidently together through hallways surrounded by their own work displayed side by side with the work of their classmates.   

Being around young children for most of my career, I have noticed how natural it is for youngsters to want to hold hands as they walk together.  As we grow older, we either forget how good it is to walk with others or we are influenced to walk alone to assert ourselves as individuals. I find it ironic that American culture, which proudly promotes a me first perspective, is experiencing an "epidemic of loneliness*" as proclaimed by the surgeon general in 2023.   It's not until much later in life that I see older folks, in their golden years, walking together and holding on to one another once more.       

 *What is Causing Our Epidemic of Loneliness and How Can We Fix It?                      Elizabeth M. Ross 

  https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/24/10/what-causing-our-epidemic-loneliness-and-how-can-we-fix-it