City of Gray

Lima has been nicknamed the “City of Gray” because of its clouds that constantly hang low--it’s strikingly rare to witness a blue sky or a streak of sunlight cutting through the somber gray.

And so, with this, the people have chosen to find brightness everywhere else: in the flowers dotting the streets, in the houses they paint lime green and deep blue, in the fabric they create and the clothes they wear. It's beautiful, really, the creation of beauty in all places dry and void. It's stunning, really, the way mankind overcomes and persists and presses forward against defeat. In fact, in so many ways, I think it's who we were meant to be: flower-planters and wall-painters and fabric-weavers too. It's also reminded me of this: that no job--anywhere, ever--is too small. Wall-painters may never win awards or be recognized as famous, but surely this changes nothing regarding the true worth of their work. Maybe, actually, the truest work of pushing back the darkness is small and unseen and unnoticed? So, today, here's a post to celebrate the wall-painters and flower-planters of Lima. Thank you, thank you for turning gray places bright!