(illustration by Alex Proba, A Poster A Day series)
I have a hand towel, it is red, hot pink and orange.
I bought this towel in Amsterdam, back around 2004. Twelve years ago.
I am fascinated by the messages we get from our daily objects and materials, and my bathroom is my favorite. It is the place where we have our daily routines, it is so rich with our history of feelings and sensations, and yet we tend to forget to look.
But back to the towel.
One day I realized that I chose this towel back in the day with very little thought. I run into it in the Hema shop, I liked the colors, got it.
Over ten years later, I still have this towel in my day to day, I see it, use it, touch it every day. Wash it, fold it, roll it. Dry my hands, my face with it. Every day.
This towel made me think that sometimes we meditate carefully what we choose to bring into our lives. And perhaps it is something we wear once or twice, and perhaps we don’t even see it that often. And instead, the seemingly tiny items we randomly choose to live with have a huge impact in our daily lives.
This towel is the one truly shaping me.