Step Stories

If steps could tell stories, what tales might come from the well-worn stairway upon which this gentleman sits? Regal in his role as guardian of a building in Jodhpur, India, he and the incandescent architecture found in Old Blue City hint at untold histories and long-held memories. Beautiful in their agedness, man and steps suggest wisdom and resiliency acquired through the passage of time.

Each day when I passed this peace-keeping fellow, my imagination soared. Would these rooftop stairs tell of the man as a young boy, rushing to look with delight from above upon the city below? Might they recall the stories of countless residents who trod upon them; carrying seeds to feed to birds, or water for plants and flowers, or bundles of laundry to hang and dry in the wind?

Endless possibilities exist and for me, every encounter with this photograph provokes a new narrative that serves as a mirror of my mindset. I might notice the man’s pride, find comfort in the safe, secure setting, or simply focus on the richness and variability of the blue hues and how light and texture add interest. The stories are therefore human, emotional, visual, and analytical. Unlike the actual steps, my—and your—ideas are never set in stone and are free to perpetually become.