# Incidents in Plain Text

## The Sudden Ripple

Life sends ripples we don't always see coming. An incident—a spilled coffee on your notes, a missed call from a friend, a quiet realization during a walk—arrives unannounced. It's not always dramatic, just a shift in the ordinary flow. On February 10, 2026, I watched snow fall steadily outside my window, and one flake landed differently, sticking longer than the rest. That small event pulled me from my thoughts, reminding me how these moments interrupt without warning.

## Capturing in .md

We reach for something simple to hold it: a notebook, a screen, plain text. The .md format suits this perfectly—unadorned, structured just enough with headings and lists, yet flexible like breath. No frills, no permanence until we choose it. Writing an incident down turns chaos into lines we can read back. It's a quiet act of naming: what happened, how it felt, what lingers.

- The what: facts without exaggeration.
- The why: a gentle probe.
- The next: a step forward.

This practice isn't about fixing the past but seeing it clearly, like fog lifting.

## The Meaning That Stays

Over time, these marked-down incidents weave a pattern. One forgotten errand leads to a new route home, revealing a neighbor's smile. A brief argument uncovers unspoken care. The philosophy here is gentle: every incident is a thread, not a tear. By documenting in plain sight, we honor the messiness of being human, finding continuity where disruption seemed to rule.

*In the end, what we mark down shapes what we carry forward.*