We're all Human

Sometimes I get really overwhelmed with all of the noise that the internet/electronics bring into my life.

Did you see what so and so posted on Twitter? Have you read that article on The Huffington Post? Have you ever heard of (such and such) blog? Ding - another email. Vibrate Vibrate - 3 more text messages. 

Most of my exposure to this noise is completely within my control - and while I'm trying to tone it down, sometimes I am so unbelievably grateful when something comes across my path that stops me dead in my tracks. This week, "Humans of New York" did just that. 

An "about" from the photographer:

"HONY resulted from an idea that I had to construct a photographic census of New York City. I thought it would be really cool to create an exhaustive catalogue of the city’s inhabitants, so I set out to photograph 10,000 New Yorkers and plot their photos on a map. But somewhere along the way, HONY began to take on a much different character. I started collecting quotes and short stories from the people I met, and began including these snippets alongside the photographs."

The other day, as I scrolled through the many pictures, some of the stories literally moved me to tears. Now that may just be because I've been a tad emotional this week - I'm blaming it on this gloomy weather! But, I decided to share a few of my favorites with you.

"I want to be a ballerina"

What’s going to be the best part about being a ballerina?

"Spinning"

What’s your favorite thing about your mom?

"She’s beautiful"

"Bring it on"

"She can turn any ordinary moment into an adventure."

Can you give an example of that?

"When Hurricane Sandy destroyed the bottom floor of our house, 

she decorated the rubble in Christmas lights."

Seen on the Upper West Side

"I wish that when I was young, I’d have absorbed more of the world. And less of my world."

"Hold on. Let me get sexy!"

"He teases me!"

“I grew up on a rice farm in Guyana. We didn’t have running water or electricity, or anything like that. I didn’t come to America until I was 14. My friend has been struggling lately because she can’t get a job she wants, even though she’s really talented. She’s lived in New York her whole life and hasn’t traveled very much, and she said to me: ‘I don’t understand why anyone would want to immigrate to America.’

 I told her: ‘Trust me – if there’s a heaven, this is it.’”

"She's a little diamond."

I asked her for a piece of advice, and she reached into her mom’s purse and pulled out a whiteboard.

“She has laryngitis,” her mom explained. “No talking for a week.”

I asked: “What is your greatest struggle right now?” He made a confused face and began speaking to his girlfriend in Thai. Then, suddenly understanding, he turned back to me and said: “English.”

"I’m the original John Lennon! I was born 18 months earlier."

"I can beat him up."

"Sometimes when I’m going home to see her, I think: ‘Nobody should be this happy on a Tuesday.’"

What do you want to be when you grow up?

"Fireman."

What do you want to be a fireman?

"I said Ironman!"

I highly suggest clicking over to the site to scroll through and find your own favorites. But be warned: you'll fall into the rabbit hole and before you know it an hour will have passed!

My favorite thing about this site is the raw emotion that comes through in the stories and the pictures. I have such an appreciation and respect for an expression of the authentic human condition.

How's that for something to send you into your weekend?

Happy Friday! xoxo, E