I’m loving screens, social media and paper bark trees.

Dear Self,

In the last few weeks there has been a hell of a lot of looking at screens.

I’m really enjoying it.

I’ve become more connected to the people that I find inspiring and I am also spending more actual time with these people.

Public transport has been a rich period of swipe, swipe, click, look, read, comment, post, comment, read, swipe, like, write, follow, share, follow, share, read, comment, like, laugh, like.

I stepped out of a train the other day and looked up and there was a tree.

It wasn’t stunning or impressive. Just something green that had managed to survive at an inner city train station. I stopped and just looked at it for a while. Compared to looking at a screen it felt very comfortable. It was visually refreshing.

I realised that even though I live in the city these things, trees, plants, are around me all the time. And that when I am walking (and I can’t reasonably be on one of my screens — try as I might!) I could look at them for a bit of a break.

So I have started looking at nature as I walk. It’s funny because it has been there all along, surrounding me, but now I see it and feel like I’m getting the benefits.

My favourite discovery has been paper bark. Well rediscovery really. When I was a kid our local swimming pool had paper bark trees and I remember being fascinated by how the bark would peel off in layers and was so much like a fine translucent paper.

On my way to the tram in the morning I now say hello to the paper bark trees.

It’s a lovely moment of rest, as I get ready to sit on the tram and connect with inspiring people through a screen.

Luke