This year, Iâve resolved to take photos more using my film camera (the trials and tribulations of which you may remember from this post here, if youâre a free subscriber.) Yesterday, I was in a situation in which I should have taken a picture but didnât: I had my film camera in my backpack, but it was bucketing down and I had my hands full with a Christmas gift bag that was at breaking point (same girl, same!) To commit the memory to, well, memory, I thought Iâd write it down instead.
The kind of rain that makes you question the word ârainâ in all other contexts: oh, that? Thatâs nothing. This is rain. Big, fat bullets of water coming down from the sky, the type that you canât escape no matter how hard you try. And so: we stopped trying. Half-walking, half-hopping down the busy street, after a morning of drinking coffee after coffee and putting the world to rights in a cosy cafĂŠ, youâre laughing at the BBC Weather App, which promised no rain til 2. Actually youâre laughing at yourself, for trusting the BBC Weather App. (As you write this now, back in your flat, where youâre slowly drying off by dampening everything around you instead, itâs coming up to 2pm, and the rain is just stopping. What say you, app?)
And at the same time, youâre filled with love for your friend, whoâs skirting puddles just slightly up ahead. Even in the rain, she looks chic â a camel trench coat, straight cut midwash denim, and black Chelsea boots. Slick with water, hair plastered to her head, a rainy Rorshach damp patch spreading on her trench coat, she turns back to continue the conversation youâre having â because youâve weathered worse storms over nearly 20 years of friendship, whatâs a little rain to a good conversation? â and youâre overwhelmed with how grateful you are. For the friendships you have, the memories youâve made, the life youâve created. For the little moments, even when the big ones seem harder.
Taking a mental picture đ¸
Oh this is gorgeous Ellie. I love how you have described a snapshot of your day and I can really picture it in my mind. Thank you so much for sharing and somehow it means more than I think the photograph would have. ⤠Lots of love x