WINDS OF CHANGE

“I am a great friend of chaos.
It’s all we have.
I mean, this whole concept of being able
to manage life…
life is risk, life is chance,
life is being open to chance.
The best things in my life,
and probably in anybody’s life,
come out of being open
to being blown off course.”
: Tilda Swinton

…

I came across that quote last Saturday,
and wondered if … in those instances,
we are actually blown ON course.

That, like water, we flow,
to where we’re meant to be,
to what we’re meant to do.

…

I visited Milan for Lineapelle in February
and arrived home on the 21st.
That was two days before Giorgio Armani’s
brave, and wise, decision
to show his collection behind closed doors.

It was then I started self-isolating
and social distancing voluntarily.
Just to be careful.

Twelve weeks later and I’ve been graciously,
and gratefully, accepting the luxury
of a little fresh air each day.

Anticipating the weather last weekend,
I was strangely looking forward to
being buffeted by the winds.
The kind that you can lean in to.
The kind that feels like it’s rippling your cheeks.

It wasn’t quite as windy as I hoped,
and so I sat alone
on top of one of the small hills in the park
and gazed at the clouds shifting across the sky.

I thought that while we can certainly feel
the effects of the clouds and the winds.
They’re something we can’t really touch.

We can feel refreshed and invigorated.
We can admire and respect its power,
yet can’t hold it in our hand …
But we can harness its energy.

…

SYNCHRONOUS SIGNS

That was Saturday,
the same day I read the Tilda Swinton quote
at the top of this letter.

The same day I opened up a
‘word of the day’ e-mail
to find a word I’d never heard before;
‘Aeolian’.
It means  ‘of or caused by the wind,
wind-blown.’

And, funnily enough,
I was born on a Windy Hill.

I do love a series of synchronous signs.

…