Snapshot

Those moments immortalised in ones mind.

I was sitting in a cafe, nursing that bitter, black blend of beans we so lovingly commit to most mornings. Watched the world go by...expecting nothing. My day would be like all the others, and those who passed by the window would have their days too...some special, most not so special, but a day, nevertheless.

Suddenly, there was a man, on a ladder, reaching up, and up..and that ladder tilted, ever so slowly...slow as the world turned. And then, there was another man. He moved quicker than the slow turn of the world and the steadiness of fate. His hands grasped that ladder and held it still. The man on the ladder looked down, clutching his sharp, sharp implement and smiled..to a man in a suit, who's day would otherwise have not been so special.

That moment was beautiful.

With caffeine in my veins, I made to stand, but then consciously decided to take a few minutes to enjoy the flow of time...

I let time flow. I cared not for deadlines, for rush, for people. I took time to make time, and it was beautiful..for beyond the window, I saw another moment I would otherwise have missed.

A young girl, clutching her bag of chips. No more than fifteen, but a cold, miserable fifteen, with only the warmth of the bag in the grey drizzle that marked this day. At her feet, a one-legged pigeon. This pigeon, resolute...very much another rat of the sky. Black and grey, with no way to tell where the dirt ended and the feathers began.

It sat, at her feet, hunched up against the cold. She'd nudge it, occasionally...for it to fly away, only to come back. She'd scold it, occasionally...only for it to edge closer to her toes.

Finally, she bent down, and held out her chip. The pigeon snapped at it warily...and she smiled. Standing back up, she tipped the bag over the pigeon's head, taking a step back as it fluttered amongst the chips. It ate, and ate, and ate.

All the while, this girl stood, smiling..occasionally breaking chips for this one pigeon with the heel of her boot, and chasing other pigeons away until it had eaten every last piece. She then disappeared...to join the rest of us on this day, like every other day, but not so.

That moment was beautiful.

So now, my day, like every other day, was not so, and I was glad for it...for the world showed me things I wouldn't have seen, had I not made the time to take some time.

Resolute

Mesdames et Messieurs. It is now that time of year in which we practice the inane but necessary practice of determining how to better ourselves through resolutions we probably will not keep.

However, I have compiled a list to honour this arcane tradition. Shall we begin?

1. I'll start with losing a few kilos, I think. That honours a world-over tradition, doesn't it? (This is after I finish all the chocolate and snacks in my drawer. A clean start, you understand).

2. Exercise more. But by more, I mean when I can..and by when I can, I mean probably never. But I'll make the effort, and that's all that counts.

3. Do one thing a day that makes me happy, or makes someone else happy. I think I'll share the chocolate in my drawer. It's a win win situation. I lose weight, you get chocolate.

4. Be nicer to my lover. He deserves to be let out of the cage on more than just Sundays. Perhaps I'll feed him food other than Nandos! No, wait...that's being exceedingly generous. I'll feed him. That'll do, pig, that'll do.

5. Stick to the damn resolutions.

Et vous? Have you vowed to be resolute?