ponder | a moment in time

A moment in time in Paris

Lately I find that I have been drawn to this photo from my Europe archives. Snapped almost 5 years ago to the day, it was a shot that I almost didn't take. 

In my mind I just wanted to hurry through the Musée d'Orsay so that I could get through as many of the museums in Paris that day as possible. Having spent an indulgently long time at the Louvre and seeing Monet at the Musée de l'Orangerie, I was now running behind my self-made schedule. 

So I glanced at the time in haste, not seeing the beautiful skyline of the Louvre glimpsing through the windows, not realising that this was the historic and iconic clock face that distinguished this museum from the rest. I can still remember that feeling of pushing against time as I swiftly raised my camera to capture this image. It felt like time was always against me, and that this was just a reminder of that. 

How often do we find ourselves at odds with time? How often do we think that there's just not enough of time, and oh how wonderful it would be if we just had a bit more time? 

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had not paused to take this photo that day. What if I had given in to my inner voice and hurried along? Or conversely, what if I had stayed a bit longer, and took my time to observe this view? 

I will never know for sure as time is always moving us forward. I cannot turn back time, and return to that day at that place to take this photo again. But in looking back at this photo, I see a beautiful reflection of time, of the entrancing magic of Paris and the wisdom to be grateful that I did pause here with my camera. At that moment, at that time. 

This post was inspired by Ariana Huffington's reflection on time in her book, Thrive

Photo | Paris, September 2012

xoxo