Apprivoiser

…to create ties

When I was 5 years old, my Dad read Le Petit Prince to me, in French.

I have such sharp images from that first read.

The boa constrictor, the little sheep, the rose, the fox…and the lamplighter. When I was little, I thought a lot about the lamplighter. A man whose planet turned so swiftly he never rested because he was always having to re-light and then tamp the lamp.

We had electricity, so it was a sort of magical imagining.

(If you haven’t read The Little Prince, I promise nothing I say could possibly ruin its beauty and meaning)

That image is part of the imagery that stuck around my whole life. The idea of never resting. The lamp. On and off and on and off. The quick passing of time.

…and here I am. Nearly 47. I’ve lit so many lamps. The days have passed so quickly.

But I’ve managed to expand my days. I’ve packed them full.

Yesterday was one of those big days.

Really big.

…and so beautiful that I cried. Over and over and over.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to accurately convey with words alone…how magical it was.

Yesterday I hugged two of my creative inspirations. The screenwriter of my favourite movie of all time. And a songwriter/musician who has been a part of my musical life for nearly 30 years. Yesterday I got to thank them both for making my inner life brighter.

People often say…”don’t meet your heroes”…to that I say…maybe choose better heroes. These two women are brilliant, thoughtful and kind-hearted creatives who have kept their core beliefs focused on the magic of making beautiful art.

They are real. Human. And sparkling. Real first.

I want to write more.

And I will. Tomorrow.

I have a game of chess to play.

And a creative space to visit.

And my children to gather from the city.

This story is building and can wait.

I will be writing my tiny book later.

📚📚📚#128

Today was too big and I can’t find my paper. So no book tonight.

• Dueling Jewellers (I wasn’t super excited about this title)

But for now. Please spend some time in the room I was on last night.

(At Rosefinch watching the wonder that is Catriona Sturton, in my favourite place, singing a song about the brilliance of the community that Audra and Haritha have built there)