windy tingly thoughts
“Bella”. The freedom to be who you are and to enjoy what is! Greg James, 2011. Fremantle, Western Australia.
If you didn’t already know, Perth is one of the windiest cities in the world. often I feel irritated by it, like when it blows the sand in my face and knocks over umbrellas at the beach. but there are also lots of days when it is actually a saving grace. on a 35 degree day there is nothing better than the sea breeze to cool you down, and you can always open your windows in the evening to get some air flowing into a stuffy living room. I am learning to love the wind.
today I woke up feeling groggy and heavy. it wasn’t until I cycled to get a coffee, uphill and into the wind, that I felt my brain clear up. for the rest of the day I felt so light and inspired, and I thought about the wind. firstly I thought about the noise the leaves make when they rustle in the breeze, deafening and calming. I thought about standing at the shore facing into the wind, closing your eyes and feeling as if you could lift off with its power.
secondly, more delightfully, I thought about how maybe I felt so inspired because this windy city is so full of life! maybe the breeze blows everyone’s ideas around and they pass between our ears and prickle all the little creative hairs in there. all that bubbly joyous aliveness just wooshing around the city! I just want to sit all day and watch the trees sway in the wind and feel the pretty thoughts sweep away the dust from my brain. I think maybe if I sit in the breezy park long enough that all the negative thoughts I’ve ever had will lose their grip on those little creative hairs and fly right out of my ear holes. they’ll woosh right out of there, and all of a sudden I’ll feel like a small child again with a squeaky clean, fresh start brain. all of life will feel shiny and bright, like how white laundry looks hanging out in the sun; blinding and sparkling and clean.
sometimes I wish I could take my life and throw it in the wash with half a cup of baking soda; hang it to dry and watch the stains fade away. I want to bring my life in from the clothesline saying, wow! looks brand new! you’d never know i’d spilled that coffee on it the other day! I would also love to be able to rock up to a kiosk in a mall and say, hello sir, I would like your best deal on a new pair of MCL’s please. I ruined mine slipping on a wet floor and I didn’t do the exercises and now when I bend down my knees click! woopsie daises!
I don’t need to say that that’s not how life works, because you know that and I know that. we are talking about wishes here, silly little daydreams you have when you are nearing another birthday and reflecting on your silly little life. I am turning 27 in two weeks, and rather than reflect I’ll just state a bunch of facts: I just finished a paint by number of 3 fat ladies in swim suits embracing each other. next month I will be living in a caravan on a citrus farm, slicing oranges for a kind family with an 8 month old puppy and a pet cockatoo. I cut my own hair and choose wine by how pretty the label is. last week I designed a website for my marketing class for a made up brewery inspired by my film photos from 2 years ago. and, mostly, I am pretty much happy.
