Love. I cared about love. It came in many forms from many different kinds of people. I gave as much as I could manage.
Breath. Yours or mine, or ours together, knowing we get to see another day. Mouthwash is good.
Imbalance. Not everything has to be the same. Imperfection, too. It seems I have a preference for “im” ’s.
Class. Now I know all the places where I don’t belong, but I still wander into them, anyway. It still seems to confuse those who belong there.
Galloping. I imagine that to be the word on a day that isn’t slow, but I don’t really know. I just like the word, although maybe I prefer lolloping, the thing I do on most days.
Crying. I go to the cinema, and pay good money for the privilege. It’s a great place to be for imagined realities. There are other places, too. Hush! I love life, I just like crying, too.
Reading the backs of cereal boxes. I remember that with fondness, as there is little on paper bags of oats, and nothing at all on the containers I put them in.
Water rushing on to the beach. Dear old Mama Amazon gives me ocean sounds on a smart speaker. Alexa, I’m dying here.
Hand-written letters. The real ones, before telephones. Yes, I’m that old, to have kept a supply of writing paper, envelopes and stamps.
Digging for lugworm, casting a line, altered states of consciousness for hours on end.
Family. I almost forgot to mention it as I take that for granted as being first of everything, forgetting that some people don’t.
Lists. You might have guessed that one, but I absolutely hate listicles, or any kind of list that makes so much sense that you are crushed by the logic of it, especially when they are numbered or deemed to be best for me. I make no such claims. I liked Sei Shonagon. Look her up, if you don’t know.
Books. If you need an explanation, it is unlikely that we can ever be friends.
Learning, but it can be hard sometimes. Forgetting is easy, and expertise in it comes with age.
Not being afraid. I know that I go against the grain, here, as many people love being scared, and embrace horror movies, and the most insane rides at pleasure parks. Count me out.
Medium.com. Full of imperfections. Perfect as a place that is absolutely bursting with humanity.
Non-violence. Put down your weapons and talk to one another. If you do it for long enough, you might find more to love than to hate.
Human rights. Everybody deserves the same as everybody else. It’s quite simple, really.
Fraser
March 2025