Benches in a Park in a City: Unexpected Magic

By now, you've probably caught on: I'm a firm believer in the unexpected magic of the ordinary. A cursory examination of Floodmark's various posts would show you that--- from extraordinary poetry we find hidden in used bookshops, to hilariously weird stock photos, from the colors that we see everyday to the music that moves us, from the strange world of sports vocabulary, to Lil Jon's secretly brilliant plan to succeed in the music biz --- all of this is the fabric of our everyday lives. If you look close enough, you'll begin to notice how poetic it is, how extraordinary, hilarious, weird, and beautiful it all can be, and how it might inspire your writing.

So, that being said, it should come as no surprise to you that I found inspiration in some benches in a park in a city.

To be specific, the benches are part of a community art project along the beachfront park in Rodgers Park, Chicago. I was visiting my sister in the city for a weekend. We were exploring the beach area when we saw the benches, and were both immediately charmed. Yes, we were the two weird girls taking photos of the benches, climbing all over them for a better look, and constantly exclaiming how amazed we were to find these benches here, of all places.

Obviously, I sound like some kind of wackadoodle if you've never seen these benches. But I promise you, they are extraordinary. And the best part? They're sitting right out in the open, waiting for you to visit on a sunny day. Waiting for you to stop and look a little closer when you're out running or walking your dog or taking the scenic route home. If you don't have the luxury of living so close to Chicago, I thought I'd include my favorites here for you to peruse and draw inspiration from.

Full disclosure: "my favorites" translates to "pictures of 24 different park benches".

Some are inspirational, some are deep or abstract, some quote famous folks through the years, and others are downright funny. 

The incredible thing about these benches is this: all of them call us to our best selves. 

"I am not afraid of death, but of forgetting."

Whether you're looking for a laugh, some guidance, a few words from the wise, or simply a beautiful combination of shapes, colors, and thoughts --- you will find it here. These benches are an unlikely set of ordinary objects turned into a garden of ideas and images from a community's collective imagination. They stand testament to the minor miracles we can bring to life as a group of people invested in making the world a little brighter. 

I hope these helped to stir a little inspiration into your day. If you ever find yourself in the Rodger's Park area, be sure to swing by the beachfront and keep an eye out for a splash of color on some benches. You won't be disappointed. 

Read more of Alexandria's work on Floodmark.