The weather is beautiful today and here I am, sitting in front of my computer, editing and prepping some promo material for the race team. I went for a walk just to clear my head in the wee hours of the morning. Skirting the main roads and keeping to the river mostly. I ended up all the way down by Memorial Park after I left the muddy banks for a bit. The grass was still dewy and soft. There was a homeless guy sleeping on the bench, a guy walking his dog, a woman riding her cadillac of a town bike looking like she was late and had to be somewhere, and a couple, maybe in their mid twenties. They were dressed in whatever clothes they had on from the night before. Her make-up faded and smudged, his hair a little disheveled and suit clearly rumpled.
As much as they were all out of sorts, they glowed. There was no maidenly shyness or tough guy trying to hide his feelings. As they talked quietly and whispered secrets to each other, they showed no censure or shame in their emotional state. It was like watching the happy ending of a fairy tale.
I watched them from the distance for a bit and just as I was about to turn away and head for home, the homeless guy on the bench came up behind me and sat down beside me. He was watching them too, most of the night since the bars closed(2 am?). He said at first he was tempted to tell them to shove off so he could get some sleep. He said he couldn't explain it, but hearing them laugh and coo at each other like little birds made him remember a time in his own life where that was still possible. So he left them be. His eyes teared up and he said "...it's beautiful isn't it? To love like that...?" I smiled at his question and said "Yes it must be." When I stood up to leave he stood up and bowed to me like a member of the Queen's court and said "Good day My Lady." I giggled and gave him my best mocking curtsey and we went in opposite directions.
He asked that I not photograph him because you never know when "They" are watching. I didn't ask who "They" were and wasn't sure he even knew but the whole scene was just cute as it was so I didn't see the sense in lessening the romance of it. I did photograph the couple from the back. Her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, the sun coming up beside them. From the front I didn't want to intrude. They looked as if they were fighting to stay awake and not miss a second of time with each other. It looked as if they were reluctant to end such a perfect date. That maybe if they just stayed there, the perfect date would never end. Thank goodness for a zoom lens.
My question for all of you is this ... do you still love this way? With true abandon? Can you throw your whole being into it and give another pure unconditional love without suspicion, judgement, or reserve...?
Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole
As much as they were all out of sorts, they glowed. There was no maidenly shyness or tough guy trying to hide his feelings. As they talked quietly and whispered secrets to each other, they showed no censure or shame in their emotional state. It was like watching the happy ending of a fairy tale.
I watched them from the distance for a bit and just as I was about to turn away and head for home, the homeless guy on the bench came up behind me and sat down beside me. He was watching them too, most of the night since the bars closed(2 am?). He said at first he was tempted to tell them to shove off so he could get some sleep. He said he couldn't explain it, but hearing them laugh and coo at each other like little birds made him remember a time in his own life where that was still possible. So he left them be. His eyes teared up and he said "...it's beautiful isn't it? To love like that...?" I smiled at his question and said "Yes it must be." When I stood up to leave he stood up and bowed to me like a member of the Queen's court and said "Good day My Lady." I giggled and gave him my best mocking curtsey and we went in opposite directions.
He asked that I not photograph him because you never know when "They" are watching. I didn't ask who "They" were and wasn't sure he even knew but the whole scene was just cute as it was so I didn't see the sense in lessening the romance of it. I did photograph the couple from the back. Her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, the sun coming up beside them. From the front I didn't want to intrude. They looked as if they were fighting to stay awake and not miss a second of time with each other. It looked as if they were reluctant to end such a perfect date. That maybe if they just stayed there, the perfect date would never end. Thank goodness for a zoom lens.
My question for all of you is this ... do you still love this way? With true abandon? Can you throw your whole being into it and give another pure unconditional love without suspicion, judgement, or reserve...?
Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole
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