A Moment in Time

The sun was coming up and a new day was dawning. Soon it would be time to make a move. The time for thinking was over, the time for acting was now. I had come for just this moment and I knew this was the place where it was to happen. The leafless tree silhouetted against the lightening sky marked the spot and the rising sun marked the time. I knew it was now or never, there would never be another chance. I had to move forward and I had to start the process.

I was frozen to the spot

I gathered my thoughts and reviewed the series of steps that would open the door to a new beginning for me. As the sun's light and intensity grew with the advancing dawn I felt its energy and power and knew this was the moment to make my move. If I failed to opt for renewal I would fall back into darkness and despair and it would all come to an end for me. If I failed to go forward into renewal, I would not be able to go back into the shadows of the half-life that had been mine till now. The failure would destroy me and I would be left with nothing, I would become nothing.

I stood there, and looked around me, surveying what I was leaving behind, which gave me even greater resolve to push ahead. I turned back to what lay before me and seemed to beckon me. I was sure that the place was pinpointed by the hibernating tree, that the time was marked by the sun's position on the horizon, and I felt a restless energy coursing through my body. This was it. There was no time to lose, the moment had come, the window of opportunity was a very narrow one and delay would be fatal. I took a deep breath, stiffened myself for what was to come, focused on the tree in the near distance, and stepped forward... and that’s when it all started to happen for me.

That was a long time ago now, and now as you read this, I may already be beyond this world.

As I walked out one morning...

Tomorrow I would be setting out on an incredible journey, a journey to see the world, and I would be going alone. I would leave behind everyone and everything and would strike out for the unknown.

I knew very little of the outside world, but I was young, strong, keen, full of energy, naïve and ready to risk all to satisfy my curiosity, my thirst for knowledge, That was more than enough for me.

As I stood out in the open among the shadows of the evening, a cool gentle breeze caressing my face and with the glorious sight of the setting sun slowly going down over the horizon, I tried to imagine what my leaving would be like and whether I would falter at the last moment and turn back, overwhelmed by a sudden rush of misgivings.


I saw myself striding out confidently and walking into the distance, glancing back now and again to wave goodbye to my devoted mother and then eventually disappearing from view, leaving behind the certainties of an existence I knew for the uncertainties of a future unknown but always beckoning. Where I had come from would recede from sight and where I was going to would rise before me, beckoning. A door to my past would close fast as a door to the future opened, inviting me to pass through.

I was nervous and a little afraid but I was bold and I felt ready. And most important of all, I was determined. It was now or never. Now that I had my youth and my health, now that I could start afresh, again and again, if need be.

I looked up a the darkening sky, ahead at the disappearing sun, down at the growing shadows and I felt a certain frisson run down my spine. The world was out there waiting for me and this was one appointment with destiny that I would not miss.

But all that was for tomorrow. This was tonight and I needed to get a good night’s sleep, as I would be striking out early in the morning with the first light of day. I had to be clear-minded and strong.

I turned around and made my way back inside, ascended the stairs to my bedroom, as my mother and my little brother slept, and lay on my bed in the dark without bothering to change. I cleared my mind of everything and I was soon somewhere far away; tonight I slept, but tomorrow I would be setting out on a journey of a lifetime.

********************

That was many years ago, and I do not regret it. I had the naivety and the rashness of youth at the time. And today I’m here to tell the tale. Now my ambitions are not so grand. Now surviving from one day to the next exercises me enough. I had my time and I lived it. Soon it will be time to know another world… I am already tiring of this one….

Below this heaven...

Below this heaven, under this field,

lie the bones of the victims of war,

the fallen whose days were cut short,

whose future was the present and

whose present was without a future.

Below this darkening cloud-flecked sky,

under these red poppies newly sprung,

repose the remains of the hapless youths

who never had the chance to blossom

nor to grow old, for they never grew up

Under these poppies, within this rich soil,

far from the light of the now setting sun,

are all that is left of thousands of souls

propelled into of a war begun by others

and whose end they were never to see.

Below this same sky…

in these same fields…

men fought…

and men died…

and now here they lie.

The Return of Spring

Spring returns bright and fresh of face,

shedding light upon the waking earth,

inciting growth from dormant life,

pledging plenty after winter’s dearth.

Spring is here and nature’s stirring,

days are warmer, nights are milder;

timid shoots poke above the ground,

welcoming the beetle and the spider.

Skies are bluer, clouds are thinner,

the sun shines longer, ever brighter;  

there is a warm freshness in the air

that makes the human spirit lighter.

Daffodil and daisy, the crocus too,

decorate garden, field and every park,

and add welcome colour and beauty

to the song of the robin and the lark.

Spring is here and change is in the air,

with bud and blossom on bush and tree;

it’s time to mark the change of season,

to change our clothes and break out free!

Two Beach Scenes

Just take a look at this picture and tell me if it's not your favourite beach set-up? A smooth sandy beach, a calm caressing sea, a warm-to-hot day, some deck chairs and a sunshade, and a marked absence of crowds to disturb your peace and tranquillity. It's as if this stretch of beach was made for you, you lucky bastard!

Now take a look at this other beach scene below and tell me which you prefer.

Well? Which is it to be? The first beach scene, tranquillity itself? Or the second beach scene, the nightmare scenario?! Where you could not even break wind without your neighbour getting a noseful of it. Where, if you have body odour, your fellow beach-bums will be the first to know about it. Where lying down is not an option 'cos there ain't the space! Where the water is a human cocktail of saliva and urine from the teeming bathers' secretions top and bottom.

I think I know what your answer is, assuming of course you don't appreciate sharing a beach with a stranger sat in your lap!

Homo Modernus

Is this paradise or what? Would you like to bathe in those balmy tropical waters? Take a nap in the shade of those palm trees? Roll about on that smooth golden sand washed by the said balmy tropical waters? Wake up every morning to a radiant sun set in a clear blue sky? Be lulled by the soothing sounds of a gently lapping sea? Fill your lungs with the clear invigorating air of a pollution-free environment? Be greeted by sweet birdsong echoing through the trees? Revel in the sights and sounds of natures' bounty? In short, would you turn away the chance of living on a paradise isle like this away from the hustle and bustle of teeming humanity? What's that you say? You would? Well, strangely enough so would I!

If you have answered yes to my question above, then you already know that the reality of it is that after a few hours of finding yourself on such a paradise island, hunger pangs would kick in and then what would you do? It's bad enough not having any toilet facilities but feeding yourself would be a major problem. With no McDonald's or Burger King in sight, the prospects of survival of a typical modern city-dweller would be pretty bleak. With no hunting or cooking skills (let alone cooking utensils) to speak of, any wildlife that might be on the island would probably be uncatchable and/or uneatable. Most plant life would as likely be inedible or even downright poisonous. And then there are the tropical storms, hurricanes and cyclones that would probably hit the island every so often. Before long you would sicken and, with no medical supplies or care, die. End of paradise existence! Would you still like to live on a paradise isle like this, be it with your significant other?

If you have turned down the chance of living on a paradise island as depicted in the first photograph, then I think I have just the thing for you. In this second photo we have again a paradisiac image just as lovely as the first one but this time we have all the mod cons that we cannot do without, or at least that we think we cannot do without. Modern toilet facilities are of course a must. A full food catering service is also a must. Comfortable accommodation is also in the same category. With all that in place we are ready to enjoy ourselves and make the most of the island's natural charms. If, that is, we can tear ourselves away from the tv, the swimming-pool, the bar, and any other amenities that are meant to make our stay as pleasant as possible.

The one catch of course is that in this alternative setting and set-up your time in such idyllic surroundings would be limited to the size of your bank balance. For most people this does not stretch to beyond two weeks as a maximum. In no time at all you would be back to your routine along with millions of other individuals fighting the good fight to survive in the frenetic and frenzied modern world that we have created for ourselves. And maybe it's just as well. Too much of a good thing ruins a person's character and turns them into a mere toy. Suffering, or at least a little hardship, is good for the soul. And in any case Paradise is for when we die... assuming of course we don't get sent down to that... that other place. Now that would be just too bad, wouldn't it?

A Carpet of Gold

Isn't the above scene absolutely gorgeous? There's no mistaking the season. A golden carpet of fallen leaves proclaims that it is autumn and it is the dying manifestation of the final days of warm weather before the harsh winter begins to set in. Though the ground is strewn with withering leaves, the trees still have many to shed, but it will now be just days before they completely lose their autumnal coat of gold and stand bare in readiness for the cold winter winds and rains and, who knows, even snow.

I took this picture one late afternoon at the beginning of November. The weather was still pleasant though there was a slight chill in the air. The low rays of the sinking sun cast a magical spell on the park, bathing it in soft mellow tones of yellow and gold, highlighting the gold of the leaves even more. And, as one see, there was hardly a soul in sight, most people still at work or at home having their afternoon tea, or maybe not, but whatever the reason, it was quiet and soothing and lovely to see.

After taking these photos and a few others, I just stood still for a moment, bathed in the golden light of the sun, enjoying the vista around me, revelling in the silence, and breathing in the freshening air of the afternoon as it slowly turned into evening. This was the big city and yet in this quiet corner of Nature I could easily have been in the depths of the countryside were it not for the sight of the houses that lined the perimeter of this green space. Gradually, with the waning sun, the rich autumnal shades and colours began to merge into the darkening background, and it was time for me to leave. But I had captured the images I had come for (two of which are shown above).