And if I speak of Paradise

As winter approaches and the days are getting shorter and colder, I’ve been looking through warmer days from this past summer. I’ve been so blessed to be able to see so much of the world, even in the last year and a half. With the pandemic disrupting our lives, it’s been weird trying to navigate it mentally without getting a bit lost within. I saw this poem below on the underground months ago and it made me realize that you can bring paradise with you anywhere you go and that you cannot forget the things that make you happy, especially when you need them most. In these rather odd times, I try to think of memories that take me away to somewhere that brought me joy. These photos below were taken on my film camera (not all but most photos) during my trip back home to Los Angeles and my beautiful adventure to Hawaii.

“And if I speak of Paradise, then I am speaking of my grandmother who told me to carry it always on my person, concealed, so no one else would know but me. That way they can’t steal it, she’d say. And if life puts you under pressure, trace its ridges in your pocket, smell it’s piney scent on your hankerchief, hum its anthem under your breath. And if your stresses are sustained and daily, get yourself to an empty room - be it hotel, hostel or hovel - find a lamp and empty your paradise onto a desk: your white sands, green hills and fresh dish. Shine the lamp on it like the fresh hope of morning, and keep staring at it till you sleep.

- Roger Robinson