>Leave a Trace
>Talk to a person who is very different from you
>Collect Artifacts
The Task Commences
> Leave a Trace
Before I began this 'task' I had to decided what thing(s)... or marking(s) I should leave behind on my journey. I wanted something non-permanent but meaningful. I eventually decided that "bows" would be ideal.
This idea was sparked from the act of tying a bow around ones finger in
order to remember something important
...but instead of tying it around my finger I would leave it behind.
Bow #1, Jenna
Spot where I boarded bus 70a
Beginning of my Journey
The Bus
On the bus, a strange feeling came over me. Never in my life have I gone anywhere without a planned destination in mind. I did not know where the bus would take me or where I would end up, and because of this I felt a strange sense of freedom☮.
This feeling however was replaced 20 minutes later by a sense of urgency and pressure, when I discovered that the bus had suddenly become vacant.
My mind, as a result, began to run wild with envisions of the bus driver bursting into a mad rage when discovering I had no business being on the bus with having no destination in mind< irrational. So I immediately pulled the cord and got off the bus at the very next stop.
A Diamond in the Rough
An unplanned surprise
To my surprise there was a baseball game occurring just around the corner from the bus stop I arrived at. A sense of relief came over me when seeing people enjoying their day and having fun, for I did not know how scary it would be to venture off into unknown territory with no real idea how to get home.
However, still experiencing this new found sense of freedom I walked under a tall shade tree and watched the game.
This image was taken from across the road candidly to avoid awkwardness and suspicion.
Bow #2, untitled
Left at the Baseball Diamond
A found skittle along my path. This single image I feel embodies exactly how I felt during my walk. Separated and alone from everyone else, solitary.
My Journey's Little Quirks
Although I pondered on stopping and getting a haircut just out of randomness, I did not. But I paced back and forth for a while. Sorry sign, your surprisingly forward answer to an unasked question did not prevail this time.
Behold, the man that disappeared mid walk.
The Highlight of My Walk
His name is George. He is an old Italian man with a million and one stories to tell. He introduced himself as soon as I sat down and began telling me all about his life here in Canada and back home in Italy. Before I knew it over two hours had passed which surprised him more than me since he sadly missed his 3:00 show, Jerry Springer. Despite his thick accent he was able to tell me a lot of things I did not know about Guelph, since he had been here since he was 20yrs old. He even took me on a little tour to the covered bridge.
Bow#3, George
Look Close
Me and George
Cargo train that passed by during our talk on the bench, it was so close!
On the way to Guelph's well-known Covered Bridge; something I have never been on, only seen from a far, George showed me the remnants of an old flour mill.
George told me that when his sister came to visit Canada she really wanted to get some flour from the mill, so he went with her. He had never been before. A year later, 1966, it burnt down.
This was very interesting for me to see and came as somewhat of a surprise since I have never noticed it or heard talk of the mill before. It's funny, the things in life that you fail to see when your all caught up in daily activities. I felt silly for not taking the time to get to know the place that I have lived in for the past 4 school years.
Here is what the mill used to look like
Allan's Mill, 1870
A section of which was used as a distillery. The general design is that of a 17thC Scottish mansion. The framed structure at the right is a later addition.
For more information you can visit:
http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/localhistory/gallery/industrialsouvenir/AllansMill/AllansMill1.htm
Spot where I boarded bus 70a
Beginning of my Journey
The Bus
Walk a different way home
When I received this 'task' it occurred to me that in order to walk a different way home I indeed had to be away from home first. (smart)
So with no solid plan on where I should go, other than somewhere I had never been before, I boarded the good ol' 70a city bus that took me far away from my lonely overpriced family housing unit.
This feeling however was replaced 20 minutes later by a sense of urgency and pressure, when I discovered that the bus had suddenly become vacant.
My mind, as a result, began to run wild with envisions of the bus driver bursting into a mad rage when discovering I had no business being on the bus with having no destination in mind< irrational. So I immediately pulled the cord and got off the bus at the very next stop.
A Diamond in the Rough
An unplanned surprise
To my surprise there was a baseball game occurring just around the corner from the bus stop I arrived at. A sense of relief came over me when seeing people enjoying their day and having fun, for I did not know how scary it would be to venture off into unknown territory with no real idea how to get home.
However, still experiencing this new found sense of freedom I walked under a tall shade tree and watched the game.
Left at the Baseball Diamond
A found skittle along my path. This single image I feel embodies exactly how I felt during my walk. Separated and alone from everyone else, solitary.
My Journey's Little Quirks
The Highlight of My Walk
>Talk to a person who is very different from you
The whole day I was slightly dreading the task of 'speaking to a person who is different from me' but as I continued on my walk I came to a trail where I saw an older man sitting quietly on a bench wearing the same colour of shirt as my ribbon (bows) which I had been placing about. I knew it was destiny.
Look Close
On the way to Guelph's well-known Covered Bridge; something I have never been on, only seen from a far, George showed me the remnants of an old flour mill.
Here is what the mill used to look like
A section of which was used as a distillery. The general design is that of a 17thC Scottish mansion. The framed structure at the right is a later addition.
For more information you can visit:
http://www.library.guelph.on.ca/localhistory/gallery/industrialsouvenir/AllansMill/AllansMill1.htm
George also stopped to talk about how this strip plaza used to be a Canadian Tire.. who knew Mr. Sub would win over.
We later arrived at the Covered Bridge, something many people in Guelph are familiar with, but something I have never went to visit.
44 meter (144 ft) bridge
Placed on the Covered Bridge
It serves as a bridge for a foot/bicycle path along the river, a 20-Kilometer (12.5-mile) network of six trails.
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMH17_Guelphs_Lattice_Covered_Bridge
After our long conversation and our little tour walk, George decided it was time for him to go home, but not before inviting me to his church, out for coffee another day and to meet him once again at the same bench for another chat. I have a feeling I'll be seeing George again so stay tuned for George in upcoming blogs.
On the way home
On the way home
So I did eventually find my way home since the direction I walked after I got off the bus actually lead right to Guelph's downtown area, somewhere that I am quite familiar with. After that I just stayed off the main roads and continued in the direction of my home.
>Collect Artifacts
Also, part of this 'task' which I have failed to talk about until now was to collect artifacts. Although I collected many small treasures on my journey they seemed to have lost their significance to me along the way. I found that the people I met on my journey became the most important and the artifacts grew less important to me. It was the people that made my walk so enjoyable and memorable.However, during the beginning of my walk when I was still feeling a little nervous and unsure of where I was going I came across this.
The 'Task' Completed
Realization from this 'task'
stop and smell the roses.. see the forest not just the tree..
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