The Quiet Weight of Roots

Dear reader, I have been thinking about the things we keep in our kitchens, the small, earthy objects we handle without a second thought. We peel away layers, discarding the papery skin, looking for the heart of the thing, yet we rarely stop to consider the history held within a single bulb. It is a strange, quiet life, waiting in the dark, tethered to the soil even after it has been brought inside. There is a dignity in the way these things sit, uncomplaining and patient, holding onto their own scent and their own secrets. We are so often rushing to transform our surroundings, to make something new, that we forget the beauty of simply existing in a state of rest. If you were to hold one of these in your palm right now, would you feel the weight of the earth it came from, or would you only see what you intend to do with it? How much of our own lives do we overlook because we are too busy looking for the next step?

Silvia Bukovac Gasevic has taken this beautiful image titled Garlic. It reminds me that even the most humble things possess a hidden, structural grace when we finally decide to pay attention. Does it make you want to slow down and look closer at the things you touch every day?