And Now for Something Completely Random

Published Sunday August 18, 2019 by [email protected]

Definition of random: proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern.

Yesterday, while waiting with my husband for our pizza to be served at this cool little ecletic place, I needed to visit the restroom to wash my hands. I spent the morning at the barn and on the tractor and so I was taking my time at the sink, removing all remaining traces of farm grime. While lathering up I noticed this nicely framed photograph on the wall.

“How… random,” was my first thought. Actually, it was more than a first thought. I looked harder at the image and still my thoughts came up with “random.” I tried harder, (lathering up a second time just for fun). What was this photograph really about? Light? Shape? Story? Some secret animal camouflaged amongst the stones or the grass or the path? Did the photographer think the stone bridge was quaint or unique in some way? No, that couldn’t be it, could it?

Was there some story about the cars in the background? Was this a golf course? Were we supposed to wonder about the tiny figure bending over in the shadow? Was that a golfer? Maybe, but I just don’t think that was the reason this photo was taken.

Now don’t get me wrong I have tons of random photos in my phone, like most people, but this was a lovely double matted tastefully framed photograph. Random photos don’t often inspire such investment nor are they often displayed this publicly, in a bathroom no less. Maybe my former art teacher self was fired up for no reason, looking to critique this image… looking for meaning.

Still wondering, as I dried my hands, I decided to take a photo of this random photo to add to my own personal collection of random images. It just seemed like a wonderfully random thing to do.

Since then, I have found myself still wondering about the photograph and the very word and concept of randomness. In general, I don’t much believe in coincidence and I find that very little in my own life and reality is truly random. Everything, every person, every experience, even every object noticed or observed seems to reflect or inform me in some manner. At least that’s the way it seems to work in my own personal reality.

So, what if that photo was created to inspire random musings about randomness?

Nah. That would be far too random… even for me but still fun to consider.

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