What is Ephemeral Day
21 December
Brevity is no judge of significance.
National Ephemeral Day (US), December 21, the shortest day of the year, is my contribution to promoting human mindfulness in a world rushing to embrace Artificial Intelligence. It would encourage people to appreciate experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed or forgotten. With the slogan "Brevity is no judge of significance," it would remind us each year to appreciate the small things.
If adopted, International Ephemeral Day will be a global reminder to slow down and notice the little things we often overlook in a fast-paced modern world. Because the winter solstice brings the year’s briefest daylight hours, it invites people everywhere to treat time with greater mindfulness.
How to Celebrate
Be mindful of the small things.
During the year’s briefest daylight hours, people are invited to celebrate National Ephemeral Day by:
• Stepping outside without a phone to take a mindful walk and enjoy nature.
• Pausing to watch the sunrise or sunset from start to finish.
• Noticing or photographing something temporary in nature, such as morning frost, shifting clouds, or the fleeting existence of a snowflake.
• Sharing a photo or reflection of a brief, meaningful moment using #NationalEphemeralDay.
What inspired Ephemeral Day
Savor the Ephemeral
As a photographer, I am drawn to moments in time that, but for the photograph, might go unnoticed or be forgotten - like the time at the beach when my son, Quinn, asked me to wake him up before sunrise because he had never seen it. That ephemeral experience ultimately led me to propose Ephemeral Day.
My 2027 calendar is my tribute to brevity. Ephemerals are all around us, often measured in seconds, minutes, or hours, so you might have to slow down to witness them.
Actually, is it slowing down or just being mindful?
Yesterday is over. Tomorrow doesn’t exist yet. So, what is time if it’s not now?
