The importance of a witness to your life

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The question is asking whether the existence of a perceivable thing is entirely dependent on its being perceived (or the capacity to be perceived). Objects of sense exist only when they are perceived; the trees therefore are in the garden... no longer than while there is somebody by to perceive them

My closest friend inspired this practice of being a world-class noticer. She has this rare gift of seeing things I sometimes overlook—pieces of myself, quiet victories, even the struggles I dismiss too quickly. She inspires the best in me simply by being a kind and steady witness to my life and the lives of those she cares about.

To be seen requires attention, grace, and time. All expensive commodities in a world moving so fast and competitive for attention.

Perhaps this is why I write. Along with you my dear reader, I am witnessing past versions of myself writing, recounting, reflecting, and growing.