Now It’s Smoke

There’s a song by Ben Folds Five called Smoke. For years it’s quietly lived in the back of my mind. Each time I hear it, I’m reminded of how simple yet profound the idea of letting go can be:

“Leaf by leaf, page by page, throw this book away.”

To me, those lyrics aren’t just about moving forward, in the case of the song’s subject, from a broken relationship, for me they’re about acknowledging the heaviness we carry. Writing down anxieties, grief, pain; putting all those difficult chapters onto pages, and then burning them, or more symbolically put, releasing them, turning the burden into smoke. A physical act that translates into emotional relief.

When I visited Senso-Ji temple in Tokyo, I was struck by the smoke pit for obvious photographic reasons. It’s a place where visitors gather around, bathing in the smoke believed to bring health and purification. Watching people quietly surround the curling smoke, hands reaching gently, faces disappearing momentarily, reminded me immediately of Ben Folds’ message.

I understand the smoke at Senso-Ji carries a spiritual significance distinct from my interpretation. Yet, the connection felt personal. Maybe not immediate but in the days and weeks that I have looked at this photo, I can’t help but think of that song. Isn’t that the beauty of art and moments? We each find our own truths within them.

Maybe you don’t need to write a book and burn it literally, but perhaps there’s something symbolic you can release today. Something heavy. Something you’re ready to turn to smoke.

Let it go.