Pen Portraits

“Pen portraits,” one of the regulars said to me the other day.

I pause. “Sorry, what?”

“Like drawing people, but with words?”

Lately, I’ve been noticing people more. Not just who they are, but the way they talk to each other. How conversations unfold. The small moments that pass between people without much thought.

I remember walking through Seoul and finding myself distracted by two older men walking ahead of me. I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but somehow I understood the rhythm of it. The way they spoke, the way they laughed. It felt familiar. 

I’ve seen it before– in cafés. Especially at the one I work at, in passing conversations while I make coffee.

It made me wonder about their lives. How often did they meet up? Did they have a certain place they were heading to or coming from? They were lost in their conversation, and so was I. 

In Asia, coffee culture is huge, and while I was there, I learned about traditional tea ceremonies. Rooted in Buddhism and Daoism, these ceremonies centre on the care involved in serving tea and cherishing the fleeting moment of social gathering.

Taking part in one, I learned how to mix matcha to create the perfect drink. Alongside others from around the world learning the art, we had our own moment of connection. Just as strangers sharing a moment.

I think I’m starting to realise that it’s not always about understanding the words.

Maybe it’s just about noticing the moments.

Perhaps those two men in Seoul were coming from a cafe and taking a moment to connect in their busy days. Maybe we all need this.

Each country has a different language and culture, but connection still looks the same everywhere. Back at my cafe, I hear those same conversations every day. Different voices but the same rhythm.

Maybe this is what he meant by pen portraits after all, watching the way people move through each other’s lives.

Maybe every conversation is its own kind of portrait.