Redefining the meaning of temporary

Shelter from change
London, ON
November 2019
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There's a huge construction project a block or so away from my office, another massive condo tower for a part of downtown that's in particularly desperate need of new residents.

The builders kindly installed a covered walkway in an adjoining alley, a small nod to anyone who still needs to get around the neighborhood. As I walked past it on my way home the other day, I stopped for a closer look.

It reminded me of all the temporary things that come and go from daily life, and how we never seem to take the time to remember that they were ever there at all. I thought I should take at least one photo of this structure before it would inevitably disappear, as well.

I kept thinking of this as a temporary thing. And while that's not wrong, it skews how we view everything else. We think of the other buildings in this and other neighborhoods as permanent, yet that isn't entirely true. Perhaps longer-lived than the few months allocated to this "temporary" walkway, but they, too, will eventually disappear. We are, after all, but a blip in the overall path of time.

The timeline for the buildings that define our communities may indeed be longer than our own time here, though. Any given building is only permanent to us because we may not be around when it finally goes. Doesn't make it any less temporary. Doesn't make it any less meaningful to those whose lives it touches during the time that we have it.

We all simply have different perspectives. Which, looking at the way this photo was taken, seems like a nice way to end this vignette so we can all get on with the day.

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