You weren't really safe with her either. But you knew that. So she let you take your chances.
It was out of compassion when she left you. In pieces, yes, but also in peace.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wild kingdom
You knew a woman once. She had animal in there, you could see it from a mile away. If you actually saw her. Most people didn't. Mercifully blind to that kind of person, most people barely noticed her on the street. Not because she was nondescript, but because they somehow knew they would be safer if they did not. Brave or naive were those who saw that blackness and approached uninvited anyway. A few times you actually saw her back away from people who got too close - compassion lightened her eyes and she gave them back the distance they were not wise enough to maintain. They left the encounters feeling odd and not knowing why.
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6 comments:
Gosh Nicole, I didn't know you had met my ex...
Knavak - oh Ken, I didn't either.
The weather here has been mild all summer. It's been almost jarringly comfortable. There's nothing to talk about with strangers -- it's far harder to commiserate without mutual discomfort.
These couple of paragraphs you wrote speak to an impulse I recognize -- to be overwhelmed, torn apart, and thus free of the self, and not necessarily acted upon because of pain, but rather the possibility of transcendence.
I just returned from Montreal. I went for a reckless bachelor party weekend, and I'm not proud of my behavior. I speak only the minimum of French, but I'm amazed at how cultured I always feel (even in spite of myself) after visiting a French-speaking place.
JMH - You explain me better than I do. Forgive the generalizations, but I believe that's what bachelor party weekends and French speaking places are for.
Your lovely writing continues to inspire me and make me think, my friend. I just told my sisters (one 30 and one now 20) to check out your blog. They need more exposure to the literate and metaphorical side of life, I think....and you so lovingly and ably provide both to your readers, IMHO (in my humble opinion...)
Take care.... and thanks for sharing yourself and your thoughts with the world out here. Keep it up!
Charis - Thank you for the kind words and for the introductions.
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