Concluding Thoughts: The Children of New York

Every day we walk by hundreds of people and the ironic thing is that there is something very isolating and especially lonely about being surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of individuals and not knowing anything about them. We come into contact with so many, yet each of us are always so fixated on our own problems, in our own isolated, protective bubble, looking ahead, thinking ahead, with no concern about those around us or what’s going on around us.

Let you in on a little secret. Humans of New York is nothing special. At the end of the day, it’s nothing but an average guy taking pictures of the regular, normal, everyday people on the streets of New York and posting them online. The thing that makes HONY so popular is that Brandon Stanton takes the time to talk to the hundreds of thousands of people we pass by every day and reminds us that we are not alone in this terrifying, exhilarating adventure we call life. The photos celebrate our successes, remind us of our struggles, share with us age-old wisdom, and humors us with innocent quips. They remind us that at the end of the day, no matter what happens, it is humanity that will ultimately triumph.

In this modern world we become so engrossed with our own personal problems that we forget that the many faceless, nameless people we pass are extraordinary individuals who have witnessed and accomplished extraordinary things. Most of us go through the motions of life everyday with blinders on; completely ignorant of what is going on around us and it’s time to stop and smell the roses.

We all think our own stories are the most important. Unfortunately, not every story is written down or written about but that does not mean that a story is not worth knowing, so as my last blog post on Trinkets of New York, I would like to gather all the small but thought provoking, extraordinary stories that most of us are too quick to click through.

“Yesterday I found a penny in the park, and now it’s in my pocket.”

“She helps me with my math homework. When I run out of fingers to count on, she lets me use her fingers too.”

"What was the happiest moment of your life?"
"I don't think I have one yet but it's probably coming up and it's going to be a surprise."

Dad let go of her hand, but she never let go of dad's hand.

"There's a broken bottle down there!"
(Amman, Jordan)

"What happened to your arm?"
"I was walking down the stairs and looking at the stars."
(Amman, Jordan)

The tragedy of adulthood is its dwindling curiosity and observance of the world. Of all the life changing experiences and profound lessons the adults of HONY share, many of the most wise and profound comments come from the children who are innocent enough to see the world as it truly is. It is the children who find joy in pennies and broken bottles. They are the ones who take the time to look at the stars. The ones who have the most hope for a happy future and the ones who know that family matters the most. 

HONY is special because it is so ordinary. It shows us that humanity is not singular or individual and what matters the most is taking time to find our own broken bottles and gaze at the stars.