Tag Humanity

Identity – A Dash of Sunny

freyathewriter 10 Comments

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I’m taking a breather from

the emails

the documents

the deadlines

the treadmill of files

the Escher-like never ending work mountain.

I’m taking a breather from

the headache

that sits like a heavy, black dog

inside my head.

I’m taking a breather – dammit.

I’m listening to music in the sunlight outside,

pushing obligations to one side,

just for a few moments.

I close my eyes, and breathe…

And then, there he is –

“Excuse me, Miss, my name’s Marcus”

I look into his eyes,

see the worry lines creasing his forehead,

the hesitant, apologetic half-smile

hovering around his mouth.

“I’m scared. I’ve nowhere to stay tonight.

I’m scared.”

I’m taking a breather…

He cannot.

We chat for a bit, I tell him my name in return,

I give him some money (that I really won’t miss)

and wish him well

and mean it.

I did nothing really,

except…

give him some time

give him my attention

give him my name

give him recognition

give him humanity.

He gave me peace.

 

It’s time for the weekly prompt from A Dash of Sunny where we are invited to write about something that is important to us. This mish-mash of a poem isn’t a work of fiction, Marcus really did enter into my world for a few minutes during Thursday last week.

I didn’t do anything earth-shattering. We just spoke for a while, like people do. The trouble is, too often homeless people are ignored by the rest of us. I can’t imagine the amount of bravery it takes to ask a stranger for help. The cynical part of me does sometimes question what any money I might give will be spent on, but really, who am I to judge, if it helps that person get through another day with no place to call home?

He gave me more than he imagined, in any case. He took me far away from the concerns of work, and on that particular day, it was a blessing. Thank you, Marcus.

 

TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge – Green

freyathewriter 10 Comments

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our minds are verdant

with possibility, yet

we are such infants.

 

the grass is no more

green over there, perception

fools our truth-blind eyes.

 

It’s time for TJ’s Household Haiku Challenge, where this week we are invited to write on the subject of green – or take our inspiration from the lovely photo he has provided for us.

Please do head on over to his blog and take a look at all the delicious haiku – and why not try a haiku for yourself?

If only – SoCS July 16/16

freyathewriter 4 Comments

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If we could all take a moment to look into a stranger’s eyes, to communicate properly with each other, to smile, to shake hands, to say thank you, would the world be kinder than it feels now?

I feel extremely uncomfortable about the state of our small blue planet right now. There seems to be so much polarisation, so much isolationism, so much suspicion and mistrust. Shades of grey, nuances seem so far out of reach. There seems to be far too much encouragement to consider everything to be binary – yes/no, black/white, right/wrong/, in/out. This world, full of humans as it is, cannot be like that. We are emotional creatures, there are so many points in-between. Aren’t there?

I’m a relatively cynical woman, but in my daydreams and night-dreams, I sometimes ponder a better world than the one we have now. And in my waking moments, I try to make the infinitesimal space that I inhabit a little better for others – say thank you to the bus driver, smile at the overworked and underpaid shop assistant who still goes about her work in the best way possible, wish the postman a good day. It’s not much, but I hope it helps. We all want to be acknowledged, don’t we?

 

This week, the lovely Linda has asked to write stream of consciousness style on ‘if’. This week in particular, I am thinking about the similarities that bind us together, not the differences that push us apart.

Why not hop on over to Linda’s place, have a read, and take part yourself?