Respite
Ga Hyun Kim
Today, the advancement of technology is relentless. The ways of seeing and living are constantly changing. There is an overwhelming amount of information and knowledge all around us. This is especially true in the city that never sleeps: New York. We are always moving, anticipating, and wondering to know what’s next. There is a lot that is expected of us. Every day, we embrace yet fear the possible obstacles we may face. In our busiest and perhaps our worst moments, we take for granted, forget, or ignore the good and fortunate things that already exist in our lives - including the time given to us. Throughout my adolescence, although eager to experience and try new things, I was fearful of imperfections, failures, and hardships. I wasted my time caring about petty things, was dissatisfied, and lacked gratitude towards what mattered. I was constantly worrying, rushing, and getting frustrated. This eventually lead to one of the lowest points in my life. Fortunately, a year later, I recovered from my depression with the love and help of my family and friends as well as with God’s grace. In times of distress, moments of rest, reflection and stillness were truly necessary. They enabled me to “see the bigger picture” of any given situation while genuinely appreciating things that matter (and remain sane). Moving forward, as a designer, I wanted to encourage and remind those around me to have more moments of respite.