She happened to have loved him. Why would you care if he —or she— were married to others, if he was French or Arabian, or Texan like your kin?
Regrets? Hell, no. She happened to have loved him. She will, years from now, regret that she happened to have smoked, but she will never find fault with the mystical connection she had with that man.
You, on the other hand, may later regret that you planted your butt in a chair at work all week—including lunchtime, and that you returned home to plant it again in a recliner while you criticized women who look like her on TV:
Hair's a mess..... Skirt's too short.....Is she even wearing a bra?..... Is she part Black or Hispanic? Well, I guess false eyelashes are making a comeback.....It's a shame that planting your butt in church pews all those Sundays didn't produce something more beneficial than condemnation of those who aren't like you.
Like her. She doesn't know you but if she did she might ask you for a light. She would smile and you would see how gracefully her eyes held tears that you would never see fall. She would not even notice your flag pin, nor the political or religious material you clung to, as she fanned smoke away from your direction. You might think her detached, but it is only that she understands transparency and flux. Everything is temporary in her world and the lack of importance she attaches to you could offend you or you might use it as a pinpoint from which to free her from your judgment and to see yourself.
She happened to have loved him.
Written for The Mag: Mag 126 that inspired with the above photo prompt
(Yesterday's Dreams, by Jack Vettriano).
.
29 comments:
*I removed comment moderation after having to use it for a week following some bizarre spam. Hopefully, the nutjobs won't find my blog again for awhile! ~Lydia
you packed quite a bit in this lydia...the things we will or will not regret...where we spent time rooted and what did it actually do for us in the end....hmm....i like...
Well temporary and detached sums up how we seem to operate nowadays!
I am reading about community in Scott Peck's book "Different drum"-
He says a Gem/ electricity all can be described to a point and then are mysterious- love is the same- we can explain it to a point- then it is mysterious! Good piece- (I went the opposite direction- sort of) :)
Too often people are judgemental and miss the real point of life. Lovely piece.
Folk often believe that their prejudices are valid judgements of others: you have caught that very well in this Mag.
Lydia, you really created a multi-dimensional character here! I feel as if I know her...inside and out...from your words!
Yet another of your beautifully written and ingenious interpretations of a timeless moment.
Lovely writing, Lydia!
I love the approach that you took to this!
Intriguing portrait of this woman.
=)
nicely done Lydia...thanks for sharing your words
"...she understands transparency and flux."
I could take a lesson from that.
This was beautifully written.
Luna
Enjoyed this immensely...
It's been a little while, but am happy to get out from time to time around, life's been a bit crazy lately.
Did you know that if you do a Google Images search for the Alvord Desert that your header photo comes up in the first line ? Pretty cool...
You chased this prompt right down to the ground, girl!
Some brilliant imagery. Some stereotypical criticism.
Mixed bag, overall.
"It's a shame that planting your butt in church pews all those Sundays didn't produce something more beneficial than condemnation of those who aren't like you."
This. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is such a beautiful story in so few words :)
Brian~ If you like then I am most pleased. Thank you.
izzy~ The book sounds intriguing and I made note of the title. Thank you. Looking forward to see the other direction you took on the prompt. :)
jane~ I'm honored that you thought it lovely.
Doctor FTSE~ Many thanks. I've been witnessing too much of it lately and vented here!
Mary~ You are so kind! I wrote what came because she seemed real to me, too.
susan~ "...timeless moment." What a great encapsulation of the piece. Thanks much.
Helen~ Aw, thank you very much.
Mama Zen~ So glad you appreciated it.
Sue~ I thank you.
Wayne~ Quite my pleasure!
Luna~ Probably we all could! Many thanks.
Owen~ Wow, so happy to see you. Missed you because I, too, have been scattered so far this summer (although not traveling like you have!).
Thanks for letting me know about the Alvord Desert Google search results! I tried and it came up among images second from the top. I have such a connection with the Alvord that if a part of me is represented out there in Google I am happy for it to be that place on the Earth.
Fireblossom~ You made my day by telling me that, girl!
Rob-bear~ Thank you for your impression and opinion.
Amber Lee~ For sure, you rebel you!
A well-observed and well-wriiten piece.
I like Jack Vettriano for the same reason I like Hopper. There is a similar style in the way that you look at their pictures and feel that you have come in half way through a story.
Your story reminded me of an advert for a film that i saw recently (i saw the advert, not the film) about a woman re-visiting a troubled relationship as she was taken down an elevator that also took her back through her life. The film was called "A Thousand Kisses Deep" after the Leonard Cohen and looked a bit too moody and depressing for my tastes - but an interesting concept nonetheless
An important message here about avoiding or witholding judgement calls when so little is not clear. I think of this a lot when I see strangers...how I do not know them...have no idea what they have seen or gone through in their lives etc.
Gosh I love this line:
"It's a shame that planting your butt in church pews all those Sundays didn't produce something more beneficial than condemnation of those who aren't like you."
I could say this to so many I know...
Little Nell~ Thanks so much.
Pixies~ ...you look at their pictures and feel that you have come in half way through a story. So true!
The film sounds intriguing (I like that sort of thing) so I will keep it in mind.
mythopolis~ Tells a lot about you that you ponder those kinds of things when you are out among people. I am not surprised by your depth and sincerity.
Tess~ Tickles me no end that you liked that. Thank you for a beautiful prompt.
This is so very beautifully written! Loved your take on the prompt! :)
thegalnxtdoor~ Thank you so much. On my way to read yours now...
your Magpie is a multi-layerd piece-full of good honest feelings and opinions- especially like the judgemental butts planted in church pews.
Kathe~ Thank you kindly.
Down with the bloated , rarional dogmatic , mysoginistiv patriarchy !, he is temporal, SHE Ethereal . ( Ithuriel). Thanks Lydia
Splendid stuff--lose your judgment and you might see yourself. Oh, yes. Thank you!
Kutamun~ Wow! What a comment!!!
ds~ Thank you! Oh yes!
Post a Comment