I'm on the water's edge, a soft mist envelopes the far bank of the lake. A sailboat or two join the birds in embracing the landscape and behind me there is the constant hum of morning traffic.
Where am I now? Where did I come from and where have I been? Does the shapely girl in tight, athletic shorts have an answer for me as she strides by purposefully, or am I just looking at her retreating form out of an obligation to my heterosexuality?
I love the trees here, they are unfamiliar and the leaves have a bright forest green hue not seen in my homeland. I wonder what each species is, and whether they are native to this corner of the world.
Every now and then a fellow traveller passes me by as I sit here content on this bench.
I like the sound of traffic I've decided – it makes me feel at home. Just like my brother finds solace in the stillness, I find a place of refuge amongst the din. I could sit here in the sunlight, with the happy birds chirping merrily all day.
My pen is new and fresh, and I have few obligations for this day. If I look around and up from my vantage point, I can see power lines stretching through the tree branches – doing what we humans love to do – connecting me to you in a concrete way.
The water is still and the silhouettes look at me mysteriously across the bay. A seagull with a piercing gaze appears to come to comfort me. He is my friend and I'm glad that he feels no reason to fly away. But now he patters off on his yellow webbed feet and when I look up again from my page he is gone.
Another gull waddles the same way and with a cry launches his body up, up and away into the sky. A light plane passes directly overhead, as I look up to plot its course my eyes look straight into the sun, shielded only by my sunglasses.
Now a sailboat tacks from right to left with its mainsail spread to catch the growing breeze. I feel it fresh on my cheeks and it washes away all the irrational fear that has built up in my being.
I am so lucky, and so free. I have been blessed with the chance to choose who I can be.
My friends are all around and will never leave me to die alone. I have lived a fortunate life, but I have energy left to give back in return.
Amen.
