Episode 1 - Just an ordinary day in an ordinary city in an ordinary autumn
The sky was cloudy and boring while pressing on shoulders of people passing on the streets, making them focus only on their footsteps; their dreams were too big and optimistic for them to bother that all they could see was pavement as if being locked between shades of grey, as if all details of familiar spaces were dissolving in a grey fog...Their dreams were like kites they used to fly as children...all their souls and minds were alive only for those dreams that would one day come true...or not...sometimes there were days when wind would not blow for hours and they couldn’t fly the kites. They wouldn’t even notice there was so little light around them...in their eyes...in their hurry that morning. It was as if sun had decided to go on a holiday...It was raining through their doubts and fears and all they knew was they had to move on and on towards goals and deadlines...towards finish line...
How many times didn’t you just feel your own life is becoming suffocating, that all you want is something to blow you off your trajectory and make you open your eyes wide and see the world...see people...get to recognize your own face again in the mirror? How many times didn’t you just look for a reason to escape or even better a method to escape? What if we are too caught in the quest of our true selves, of that feeling of completeness, of achievements and success that we actually run past ourselves and remain caught in between mirrors? What if we just don’t know when to stop and enjoy?
Mike was as always already in office when his colleagues began arriving. All these thoughts kept coming and coming to his mind. He was a middle aged man who had failed in his life more often than touched his dreams...but that made him more human and balanced and genuinely happy than most of his fellows. Looking out the window, he could see his colleagues gathering...they were so expressionless – not even boredom or anger or will to start a new day...nothing...as if an unknown force had drawn all colours out of their veins.
”Meeting at 9 sharp, guys”, he said when everyone was at their desks. ”You know what I am expecting – no ties, but smiles. ”
He knew they hated him for that phrase...but he kept hoping in the power of their souls behind all that drama they felt burdening them...sometimes only overreactions of brilliant minds. Sometimes his best people were so afraid and shallow in finding solutions in their lives out of the office that it scared him. ”Am I turning them into highly efficient robots? ” he often wondered...
They all gathered in due time.
”Hope he won’t begin with his positivity lectures again...If so, I quit. ” his IT manager, Jake, whispered to his assistant.
”You are too stressed, boss... ” the young man replied smiling.
”No, I am only getting a bloody divorce...”, Jake added.
Silence all around him...and oh...those looks. Why did he have to speak so loud?
But Mike came to his rescue like in old college days.
”This is not the topic of our meeting, but it can be added to the agenda if required. ” Mike said frowning...or at least imagining he was giving them a tough look. He wasn’t very good at that...
Smiles and a laughter in the conference room and focused moved away from Jake who closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
”I want to present you a task that will have to be done in two weeks’ time. No need to stress that I want you all to put your best into it and manage it very seriously. I will ask you to bring me ten photos of the hidden beauty of this city – where the light hides between fallen leafs and muds and unhappiness and sorrow and also ten photos of children – may they be your children, your neighbours’ or your lovers’ or just kids in the park...I don’t care. We will select the best of them and make a calendar that will represent our contribution to the annual auction for disabled people. ”
Silence in the room...even deeper than the one when learning about Jake’s divorce...he was forcing them out of their boxes and loved this.
The rest of the day, they all wondered what had gotten into Mike. They were the most brilliant cybersecurity professionals...most of them didn’t even have a camera...they didn’t have the time to waste on such hobbies...photos from holidays – most of them had skipped vacations for at least 3 years – could be taken with smartphones, if those photos were really necessary. They didn’t have the time to waste wandering to take photos...their wives were already unhappy with their work schedule if they hadn’t already left them...God they hated this...from the bottom of some inner something people enjoyed calling soul...
But it was only the beginning of a more beautiful journey than they would have imagined...