It's the unexpected we need to ponder
Day 16 - July 24, 2021 – What we make of it
Very hot today, and I am ultra-exhausted.
My piece is called “puzzling” – contemplating fit. Why do some pieces seem like they will fit, but don’t, and other pieces you’re sure won’t line up, but then when you put them side by side, they align perfectly.
In art, life, and relationships - it is puzzling.
There was no chemistry last night. I met a Match connection for dinner and navigated through two hours of intense conversation that ended in an awkward, disconnected departure. Very odd.
Not that I care, just odd. The fit seemed good but didn’t light like I thought it might.
There was a moment as we stood outside the restaurant when it occurred to me that I had to decide if I wanted to pursue him – suggest another date. I was so busy wondering what he thought, that I lost sight of the fact that it is me who determines if I go on another date.
So odd, puzzling…
I am the one who must feel my way to the next steps I take. Too often with men, I wait for their move to choose my own. I see that now; it means I can change it.
Yet there is a very synchronistic part to the day. The original plan for dinner was his – to go downtown – to Grant Park, bring a picnic, listen to music. A band he knew was playing a type of music he enjoyed. I had no clue, but went along with the idea, though it sounded kind of elaborate for a first meeting with someone you barely know.
Then as the time approached, he called to say the weather was dicey, high chance of rain, so maybe we should change the plan. We agreed to check restaurants and talk again later. I found a place I hadn’t been to in a while that was equidistant between our two neighborhoods, and we agreed to meet there.
When I walked in, I was immediately awed. There was a small piece of art on the wall, made with clay and sand – Sankofa - a bird looking back with an egg in or near its mouth. It is one of many Adinkra symbols of the Akan of West Africa. Sankofa means to value the cultural idea of going back to retrieve what has been forgotten or lost from the past to gain wisdom, learn, and create a better future.
For days I had been searching for a picture of Sankofa to use for an article I had been preparing to publish on Medium. The last thing I needed was this image. I took several pictures, then noticed another immense Sankofa was covering the far wall at the side of the dining area. I was floored. Sankofa’s everywhere!
I took more photos.
Later at home, I cropped my photo, uploaded it to my Medium article, and hit “publish.”
Hard to believe that an unexpected dinner with a man I will never see again led to the perfect picture I had been searching for to complete my work.
Puzzling day.
Until tomorrow... For Your Consideration...
Engage in mindfulness today and see what turns up for you...
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