Thanks for sharing this, Michael. I think this is one of the most accurate observations I've seen all week: "is that the child responds to the adult with a commitment and simple need which you will only ever have previously experienced before through romantic love." Delight and distraught are two very accurate words to describe their feeling when you appear and disappear, respectively, as well. A great reminder.
Our pub dog, Flea, was a golden Labrador who was the size of a house. He loved people, kids and attention. Every now and again the police would pop in when we were working the door and we would get the police to take the dog and have a walk round the pub, especially in the height of summer, full of young surf dudes and toffs. You've never seen a pub empty so quick😋
The greatest smile I've ever seen is the smile my young son gave me when I saw him for the first time after his mum and I split up. I nearly burst into tears before I'd even said hello to him. I've never seen a smile that made me react like that since, nor would I expect to. It's graven on my heart and all smiles now are redundant.
Re grief I had to cut short my musings on your musings because my kind wife had made me dinner as a treat as I'm a sad sack because our hedgehog died last night. The problem was she cooked a meal that I've never had the courage to tell her I hate...
I would like a city to have a vast green space outside it, preferably forested. As a native Brit we don't go hard on mountains per as so see and trees would go down a treat.
So lovely. If you're lucky, you get to see it when they're adults.
Also seen with your animals. The dog who openly follows you from room to room or waits in the kitchen for you to come home from a late shift. The cats who heap themselves on you & you all fall asleep in front of the TV.
That's so true about animals, actually. Those times when you know they've just been fed, and it's warm enough so they're not seeking that via a lap... they're just rocking up because they like being with you. It's lovely.
I think I was in my mid-teens when I started to ponder on the meaning of life. It’s a big subject, and asking questions got me absolutely nowhere. I was told to join a church! I was a Goth! No church would have me! I enjoyed wandering the graveyards and looking at the architecture, but the sight of a church official sent me fleeing to safety behind the nearest corner. Luckily, the corners don’t generally move away when you need them.
I think those final two notes would make great stories (I know, I know)….. alien birds flying back from the future, with tales to tell and information to impart; and the residents of a nonsensical town, with neither river nor mountain, who hear tell of such things and perhaps travel to a town that has one or both, and how alien both the town and they will seem to each other.
Thanks for sharing this, Michael. I think this is one of the most accurate observations I've seen all week: "is that the child responds to the adult with a commitment and simple need which you will only ever have previously experienced before through romantic love." Delight and distraught are two very accurate words to describe their feeling when you appear and disappear, respectively, as well. A great reminder.
Thank you. When I put these thoughts out I always think "Is it just me who thinks this...?" ;-)
Definitely not on your own on this one, Michael :)
Our pub dog, Flea, was a golden Labrador who was the size of a house. He loved people, kids and attention. Every now and again the police would pop in when we were working the door and we would get the police to take the dog and have a walk round the pub, especially in the height of summer, full of young surf dudes and toffs. You've never seen a pub empty so quick😋
The greatest smile I've ever seen is the smile my young son gave me when I saw him for the first time after his mum and I split up. I nearly burst into tears before I'd even said hello to him. I've never seen a smile that made me react like that since, nor would I expect to. It's graven on my heart and all smiles now are redundant.
Hang on, my wife's shouting something at me...
Yes, those smiles from your kid... there's truly nothing like them. Such a fleeting time when they're available, too.
Re grief I had to cut short my musings on your musings because my kind wife had made me dinner as a treat as I'm a sad sack because our hedgehog died last night. The problem was she cooked a meal that I've never had the courage to tell her I hate...
I would like a city to have a vast green space outside it, preferably forested. As a native Brit we don't go hard on mountains per as so see and trees would go down a treat.
Oh god, I'm sorry to hear about the hedgehog. That sucks.
Re meal.. when she finds out she’ll call you a “cowardly twat”
LOL :)
Oh she'll never find out!😋
Would it be the first time you underestimated her?
Ah yes, the open emotions of young'uns.
So lovely. If you're lucky, you get to see it when they're adults.
Also seen with your animals. The dog who openly follows you from room to room or waits in the kitchen for you to come home from a late shift. The cats who heap themselves on you & you all fall asleep in front of the TV.
That's so true about animals, actually. Those times when you know they've just been fed, and it's warm enough so they're not seeking that via a lap... they're just rocking up because they like being with you. It's lovely.
When I went out of town, my dog waited in her usual spot every night for me to come home. The silent vigil.
I think I was in my mid-teens when I started to ponder on the meaning of life. It’s a big subject, and asking questions got me absolutely nowhere. I was told to join a church! I was a Goth! No church would have me! I enjoyed wandering the graveyards and looking at the architecture, but the sight of a church official sent me fleeing to safety behind the nearest corner. Luckily, the corners don’t generally move away when you need them.
I like this sentence very much... "Luckily, the corners don’t generally move away when you need them." Feels like the start of a story...
I’ve been reading too much Charles Stross recently…
I think those final two notes would make great stories (I know, I know)….. alien birds flying back from the future, with tales to tell and information to impart; and the residents of a nonsensical town, with neither river nor mountain, who hear tell of such things and perhaps travel to a town that has one or both, and how alien both the town and they will seem to each other.
Actually, you're right. Those would make interesting stories. I'll race you to write them... ;-)
I may need a head start ☺️