Where's Waldo? In Toronto, of course!

Rush hour
Toronto, ON
May 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

I like to call this my "Where's Waldo?" shot, a perfect mess of urban reality that played out through the window of a train leaving Toronto at the end of the day.

While I've written often about my general dislike of crowds, I'm a little more tolerant of the chaos when I'm slightly removed from it. Let's all take a moment to say thanks for the miracle of long lenses.

Virtually everyone in this photo is, like me, trying to get home. Everyone's journey is unique, as is the life story that led each of them to be in this place, at this point in time. There's no way to know all of those details, though - just imagine the pile of data! - but sitting by the window and imagining the enormity is, to me, just as much fun.

The gridlock only adds to the feeling that everyone in this scene would likely rather be elsewhere, that they're all looking forward to putting this place, this moment, behind them. I can't stop staring at it, and them, as I seem to discover something new every time.

As much as allowing my eyes to roam over this scene gives me a bit of a headache, however, I imagine the folks here all have something better waiting for them at home. And that brings me a certain sense of comfort.

May we all have safe journeys and welcoming destinations. May we all have moments along the way that remind us how lucky we are to appreciate them in the first place.

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