The Happenstance Project began on an overcast morning during one of my daily walks. I was feeling especially low when I noticed a lone cigarette butt on the ground. Something about it struck me—it, much felt abandoned, forgotten, and in that moment, much like I had been feeling on that day. I thought, “If I capture this, it’s no longer discarded. And maybe, if it’s not forgotten, I won’t be either.”

That small moment sparked a larger idea: to document the overlooked and left-behind objects scattered throughout Seattle—rusted railings, crumpled tissues, half-empty coffee cups—things we usually pass without a second glance.

This project is part environmental reflection, part personal therapy. It's about the traces we leave behind—on our cities, and on each other. My hope is that The Happenstance Project reminds you to care for the spaces you move through, and to remember: even the forgotten can be seen. Even the discarded can be held in memory.