Halfway down a set of stairs lies a bench that used to be a frequent seat for smokers or those resting under the spring blossoms. Now, this bench has long since fallen into disrepair, and it is no longer possible to sit on it comfortably.
These stairs are occasionally on my commute route (depending on which direction calls me that day), and most times, I never give it a second glance. On this day, however, I was struck by the beautiful juxtaposition of the broken, abused bench, and the soft fallen blossoms, discarded carelessly from the branches above.
Individually, they are beyond their prime – faded, worn, wilted, useless – no longer wanted. Together, however, they can once more be noticed, appreciated, aesthetic, loved for their beautiful flaws.
