Note to Self: In Praise of Burdens and Beauty by Mistake

Credit to the author

There’s a statue of Atlas bearing the weight of the world at the center of Plaza Humboldt in La Paz (the city I grew up in). Occasionally, my family and I would sit on a park bench to feed the hoard of pigeons. The birds would indifferently peck away at the crumbs, then fly away to relieve themselves on Atlas’ dignified hunch. To them, the weight of the world is a great spot to take a shit on.