Poem: "That Moment When You Realize"
May. 21st, 2018 09:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
This poem came out of the May 15, 2018 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from
heartsinger. It also fills the "second person narration" square in my 4-7-18 card for the
origfic_bingo fest and the "WILD CARD: road trip" square in my 5-1-18 General card for the Pro Wrestling Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by
janetmiles.
"That Moment When You Realize"
You know what it's like
when people around you
ignore your needs, but
when they don't, it's
a surprise and a delight --
that moment when you
open the door of the museum
and a tidal wave of sound pours out
so that you and the person next
to you both take a step back
and it's the other person in
the party who says, "Shall
we go somewhere else?"
and so you do;
that moment when
a friend looks up from
a menu on the door,
having found nothing,
and you say,
"Let's keep walking,
there are plenty more
restaurants down the block,"
and they smile at you
like you've just hung the sun;
that moment when you realize
this is what vacations are
supposed to be like,
what they're like for
ordinary people all the time,
being able to avoid things
you don't like and find
things you do like,
and it's no big deal;
that moment when you realize
you have really nice friends
whom you're very lucky to have,
and you maybe love them more
than some people you grew up with;
it's a surprise and a delight,
it's as addictive as oxygen,
and just as essential.
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"That Moment When You Realize"
You know what it's like
when people around you
ignore your needs, but
when they don't, it's
a surprise and a delight --
that moment when you
open the door of the museum
and a tidal wave of sound pours out
so that you and the person next
to you both take a step back
and it's the other person in
the party who says, "Shall
we go somewhere else?"
and so you do;
that moment when
a friend looks up from
a menu on the door,
having found nothing,
and you say,
"Let's keep walking,
there are plenty more
restaurants down the block,"
and they smile at you
like you've just hung the sun;
that moment when you realize
this is what vacations are
supposed to be like,
what they're like for
ordinary people all the time,
being able to avoid things
you don't like and find
things you do like,
and it's no big deal;
that moment when you realize
you have really nice friends
whom you're very lucky to have,
and you maybe love them more
than some people you grew up with;
it's a surprise and a delight,
it's as addictive as oxygen,
and just as essential.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-22 03:20 am (UTC)Don't get me wrong. I know people from small towns whom I count as `ohana. I know Christians, Baha'i, a Muslim gent, people you might think wouldn't get it, but they do. I don't know what the difference is... but I know that there's a difference in *mindset*.... to use your word, a sensawunda... that them baccy farmers just don't have. And once your eyes are opened to that world... there's no going back. It's not about faith nor race nor the culture you were raised in nor je-ne-sais-quoi...
Et pourtant, tout le monde, c'est différent, non? Et vive le difference!!
(I don't know why I reach for French when expressing strong emotion... but I do. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-22 09:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-22 01:57 pm (UTC)Sometimes it's a clue-bat over the head from the universe. I was a lot like the kid I mentioned when my best friend came out of the closet. Sometimes it's simply living in the Big City... you see things that cannot be unseen... and yet...
I dunno. I've learnt that sometimes "why" is a time-suck rather than productive... and yet, in idle moments like this, one still wonders. Besides... with what's going on outside of cyberspace, one might wish to engender more such mindfulness...
You are correct, though. I think some have innate talent for mindfulness... but all of us need that nurtured. I know I did... and it's done me a world of good.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-22 03:14 pm (UTC)You're right though, Big Cities are good at rattling your cage to get your attention.