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SAFE PLACE TO BE ME
Wednesday Mar. 9, 2016
Busy days take your mind away from what might otherwise play upon your mind …
On balance, yesterday was a very good day. Without pain, without strain, yesterday passed – I got through. Mostly good things, meetings, conversation. Kind people helped, bolstered me.
One example: it was a ‘finish a deal’ day. Special feelings roll through belly and head when completing that process-journey. Good for me – how I make a living, pay bills, build business. Important, more-so for clients I’ve helped get where they want to go, on time, on terms they love, without too many bumps and glitches. Another: no barrage or debate from my commentary yesterday. Two nice people wrote (see comments below) with support. Another: someone told me their fascinating cancer struggle/survival story.
Yesterday, 2nd anniversary of my dad’s death, brought flooding vivid memories of that day. And a lifetime of them too. Lots of smiles. Few regrets. What I miss most is someone to talk to. Yes, I have plenty of people to talk to – but I don’t have him to talk to. Not that he understood so much or very well, all these things I do but he listened. When he listened, I also got to hear my thoughts and ideas out loud – like a rehearsal room. Safe place to be me. Explained, or not – simply safety, being myself in front of someone who knew me better and longer than anyone, someone who let me talk until I was done, someone who rarely criticized – someone who gave me his best in life, gave me the best gift anyone can give anyone, he gave me life. I miss him.
Mark Kolke
written / published from Calgary, AB
morning walk: -2C/29F, clear, light breeze – Gusta’s coat is burr-coated from sniffing under bushes, behind trees (she has no clue how that makes vacuum cleaner innards unhappy), it is so brown and dusty … we need a shower, something wet!
Reader feedback:
EQUALITY OF LIFE
Good morning Mark, Great note today. As a father of four daughters and now three granddaughters your musings had real impact. Like you - I wouldn't have it any other way. Through all the years of support and encouragement I have also seen the pushback my kids have had from 'some' men. Yeah for Womens Day! One more step in the right direction. Best Regards, RT, Calgary, AB
Hi Mark, ell said. You had the courage to articulate what you could...brave. I just feel so sad for the women who are treated like objects instead of like valuable people. I have had a blessed life. Not without some hardships; but at least my voice was never drowned out simply because I was female. While we celebrate that narrative, we must also grieve for our 'sisters'. For example, those wonderful women in Africa, the students, never returned to their life and families...Still haunts me. I don't know the answers, but I know what is blatantly wrong, SF, Lethbridge, AB
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