IN THE MIDST OF LIFE’S CHAOS, REMEMBERING SMALL JOYS IS SOMETIMES THE GREATEST REVOLUTION.
On a beach in an Aegean town…
Hello, ArtTmodernmiami harvest spirits. I am here. For a long time, I have been sharing different series of articles with you, and I hope you have enjoyed my writings.
This month, I am presenting an article about my inner voice, my questions, and the answers I seek—and I would love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy reading!
These days, summer in the Aegean continues in all its glory. For me, summer means the sea, the sun, and the beach. Friends, I absolutely love this trio in my life.
This year, summer arrived with all its heat and hustle. I feel fortunate to be among those who can spend time by the sea. Of course, not everything is perfect; life comes as it is. There is no endless happiness free from troubles or worries. Happiness is not constant—it is fleeting. That is why I try to savor the moment.
At that moment, I glance around:
Laughter mingling with the sound of the waves… children building sandcastles… the scent of sunscreen carried by the warm breeze… a young girl immersed in her book… a child helping his elderly parents walk by holding their arms… these are the details that catch my eye.
Moments like these make it feel as if the world exists only here. Yet, under the same sky, many other realities are unfolding.
For example, while forests burn on one continent, war sirens may not cease on another. News feeds, politicians’ endless squabbles, the cries of those seeking justice… sometimes these are louder than the waves crashing on the shore. The speed of social media and technology numbs us and shrinks the space our souls need to breathe. The world keeps turning, but we often feel adrift within ourselves.
Peace, security, love… these were once ordinary parts of life. Now, they have become luxuries for most. The simple beauties forgotten amid anxiety, loneliness, and uncertainty… Constant nostalgia, replaying old songs, digging out old photos, longing to relive those precious memories with old friends whose voices we have forgotten. Lately, I have been experiencing these difficulties a lot.
Everyone seems to share the same sentiment:
Oh, we had so much fun! Remember that party!
Do you remember that girl?
Yeah… that movie was amazing! I cannot forget it.
That extraordinary place is still in my mind…
We had such wonderful times, didn’t we?
There is still a light in each other’s eyes from back then. Perhaps the true challenge is to multiply that light, to remind each other more often. The good times—when social relationships were not confined to the virtual world, when there were no wars, when people could unite, when romance was at its peak, when songs, poems, and novels were written about love, and when being human required conscience, effort, and virtue…
Humanity has been trapped in a spiral of loss, amnesia, and despair for some time now! In these strange times, with the rise of racism and fascism, we should reflect more often on what we can do and what we must not forget. What do you think?
While I am lost in these thoughts, the vendors on the beach are hustling for a living. They call out in all directions—some selling boiled corn, some mussels, and others rushing to sell cold drinks.
The joy on a mother’s face as she introduces her baby to the sea for the first time, the man absorbed in applying sunscreen to his partner’s back, the beach hustlers pacing the shore searching for young women to meet, or my own embarrassing hunger—all of this happens independently of the world’s collective mood. In other words, life continues as usual.
My eyes drifted to the sea. I saw the waves receding, the sun slowly setting. The salt of the sea and the warmth of the sand still lingered on my skin. I thought; perhaps survival is not only about withstanding major crises; it is about rediscovering small joys. The world will keep spinning at the same pace; crises, wars, and uncertainties won’t disappear. However, if we can touch each other without losing the rhythm of our hearts, life will regain its meaning. Because even if the waves recede, the sea is always there… just like the love within us.
Happiness is simpler than we think; being with those, we love, noticing the little things, taking a deep breath. Perhaps the answer to all our questions about the future lies here:
Can we love?
As the sun nears the horizon, the beach slowly empties. Like every summer visitor, I begin to gather my things. How quickly the day has passed!
Finally, I thought; even if the footprints we leave in the sand fade, the peace we carry inside comes home with us. Perhaps the true journey is not about predicting the future, but about holding onto each other and returning home together…
Goodbye!
Kamil Çakır
Artist – Designer
