"Walking Away"
- Yvoni
- Jun 1, 2021
- 1 min read
Updated: Aug 13
Some of you have asked why I so often show people walking away, with only their backs in view.
When I was a teenager, I read a scene in one of Yannis Ritsos’ narratives — a Greek poet and writer — that stayed with me.
He described a man, a miner, returning home from work. His wife was in the kitchen, standing by the stove, preparing his dinner.
From where he stood, he saw only her back. Yet in that moment, he noticed the burdens she carried. The way she lowered her head to ease her shoulders. How she shifted one leg forward, trying to rest her body. He saw her carefully place his food on the plate, wiping away a stray drop from the edge with a piece of cloth. Then, placing her hands on the counter, she straightened herself, drawing her leg back into place, summoning the strength to continue.
He didn’t need to see her face. He understood she cared.
Since then, I’ve often found myself watching people as they walk away — trying to read their weight, their weariness, or their quiet resilience. Not always, but sometimes, I’ve felt I could glimpse the unspoken stories they carried.
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