The Perfect Bench
Take a moment and picture the perfect bench in your mind. What do you see? Is it made of wood, stone, or steel? Is it perched high on a mountaintop overlooking a forested valley, or sat fountain-front in a quaint and quiet town? No matter what you see, you’ve visualized something unique to you. And not just any "you," but the you that exists in this moment. It’s easy to imagine the tangible aspects–how it looks, where it’s placed, and its intimate surroundings–but the true value lies in what we cannot see.
It took ages for me to come to that realization. When I first sat down to write this blog post, my idea of what made the perfect bench was structured around three pillars: Material, Design, and Location. To gain some inspiration and insight, I started asking people, “What makes the perfect bench?” And of course, I got a drastically different answer from each person.
So, I decided to switch up my approach and ask a different question. “How does sitting down on the perfect bench make you feel?” This is where I began to notice some similarities. I’ve summarized my observations into these 4 pillars:
The perfect bench bridges the gap to the present moment. One of the beauties of sitting on a bench is that it opens the door for full, undisturbed present attention. It’s not always easy to get there, however. Lingering thoughts, regrets, and worries can hinder full presence. But the perfect bench makes it easy for the sitter to ground themselves in the here and now, to forget the world for a while, and enjoy the present moment. It offers an opportunity to pause, breathe, and simply be.
The perfect bench is a sanctuary for reflection and prospection. Just as it provides a space to forget and escape, it also lets the sitter look at what has been, and what might come. The perfect bench is a place of clarity, bringing the sitter to a deeper understanding of their life events.
The perfect bench is safe. Both physical and emotional safety is an essential characteristic of the perfect bench. It creates an environment where the sitter feels secure enough to let go of their guard. No outside threats, no judgments, just a safe, neutral space where you can think, feel, or simply exist without fear. Whether the sitter is deep in thought or letting their mind wander, the perfect bench makes it safe to explore, undisturbed.
The perfect bench expands and inspires. Benches can be thought of as frames for the world around them. While the world moves and changes, benches watch it all happen. When sitting on the perfect bench, the sitter is given the opportunity to expand their mind and be inspired, all framed by the perfect bench’s unique perspective.
The reality is that there is no such thing as one singular “perfect” bench. These characteristics merely describe the common intangible offerings given by any bench in any moment. But even these characteristics may not cater to everyone’s preferences. The perfect bench has no fixed formula. It adapts to the context of the sitter. Any bench can be perfect, and that is what makes them so special. What a treat
Me reacting to the perfect bench after sitting down on it.
