The Weight of Light

There is a particular kind of brightness that arrives when the world is stripped of its complications. We spend our lives building walls, gathering things, layering ourselves against the cold. We think these layers protect us. But sometimes, the wind clears the air, and we are left with nothing but the face. A face that does not ask for anything. A face that simply exists in the present, unburdened by the history of the day or the uncertainty of the night. It is a terrifying thing, to be seen so clearly. It is a relief, too. To let go of the need to be anything other than what is right in front of us. We look for complexity in everything, forgetting that the most profound truths are often the ones that require no explanation at all. What remains when the noise finally stops?

Vaibhav Choudhary has taken this beautiful image titled Only Smile. It captures a moment where the light finds its way through, unhindered. Does it remind you of a time when you were enough?