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OPENING DOORS

Sunday Aug. 9, 2015 

Opportunities turn up frequently – to meet, to be fixed up, to go on blind dates, to actually bump into someone in some coffee queue, at the gym, at the market – everyday opportunities to let someone in.

I’ve done structural parts – made room in my closets, emptied several drawers.

There is room for a roommate – part-time, or full-time, I’m practically ready, flexible … open-minded. I made some space, spent plenty of time thinking about it and realized that part of this equation has never been my problem.

Making room.

We all know that term.

Making room for more books on shelves, rearranging stock in our fridge (and throwing out over-mature veggies), squeezing one more suitcase in trunks, or overhead bid – we make room. What about making room for people?

Welcome mat at my door, but is that welcoming?

Is that door open?

Posed by others, and I regularly-repeat – whether I need to shoo someone out before I can let someone in?

Despite some twisted-partings, something remains – not unfinished business, but more like a scratch on the furniture, stain on the carpet, scar on a finger …

Memories, connections, elements of my past, part of my being I won’t shed, don’t shed, not prepared to shed or shred – is that mature, strange or abnormal somehow – to have loved, to have loves, to have bits and pieces of past-connections still alive within you, is that too much, does that not allow me to be open to someone new coming in, coming along or coming aboard?

Letting more in, letting someone it, having room to accommodate …

We can always make room.

When we want to.


Mark Kolke

P.S.: lovely time last night – dinner with newlyweds LC & GC (yes, it’s been two years but that’s still new by anyone’s measure), then a FringeFest play – so nice to catch up, see all those changes as you make that old house ‘your old home’

written / published from Calgary, AB

morning walk:  14C/56F, brilliant blue, gentle breeze – long dog-less walk (after publishing this I’m off to the kennel to collect her), some hugging and puffing going uphill (I’ll blame that on birthday chocolate!)


Reader feedback:

COMPOSTING ATTO BOY

Happy belated birthday wishes Mark. I hope you had a great day in Banff yesterday, DK, Edmonton

Belated birthday wishes, Mark.  Not on my computer for a couple of days, hence the “belated”. Sounds like Banff was balm for the soul, BR, Calgary, AB


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