As  a collective,

each corner light is structurally the same, a pole, wires, an arrow, but each street has a differentiation, whether it is a sticker, a piece of gum, graffiti tags, or a tiny scratch.

Each corner captures a different space in time,                 a moment,                 a memory. 

For one, crossing the street at the corner of Swanston Street is insignificant,

for others it could be a trigger of significance;

comfort or despair.

Each traffic light has a purpose and a story.

Each traffic light button has been pressed by hundreds of thousands of people;

a child,       a teenager, a senior,        a parent, a teacher,   

 an Olympian. 

For some, crossing the road at the corner of La Trobe is seen as routine, for others it may be the first time, or even the last.                                        The three lights

 change from Green, to Yellow, to Red.

Dawn to dusk. Every day.

Traffic lights are seen as so insignificant, but upon reflection,  they are the backbone of safety in our society, on a global scale. Their 3  colours form a universal communication,

 

Green, yellow and red has been conditioned in our world to be a standard, a norm.

What would society be without traffic lights?

Three lights, crucial to keeping people so safe; yet they are seen as a burden and a nuisance-  the reason for being late and cursing, 

 

the under appreciation for traffic lights is obvious, to think that it may be the last time you ever see them in this lifetime.

I hope society can pause and lift their eyes

from their devices…

for once-

An intersecting moment. A universal breath.

I hope they dive in and deeply appreciate the experiences of the life that has been lived by everyone who stands beside them at that traffic light,

waiting for the signal to cross.

Whether its green, red or yellow,

there is always a story waiting to be told at a traffic light.