After reading George's post yesterday, Feeling of all ordinary human life, I was reminded of a piece I wrote around the same time, five years ago, August 2008, that is. My youngest son was still in school, but other than that nothing much has changed. And winter still gets to me just as it did then.
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| This year's jasmine galaxy against the bluest sky |
Sometimes, there’s not a thing in my head that seems
to be worthy of putting words to it. And sometimes there are things in my head
that are much too abstract to envelope them in words and post them to where my
consciousness can receive them and go: “Aah! So that’s what this is all about!”
Today seems to be one of those not-worthy-of-words
days where I sit around inside my head, shifting restlessly from one
un-noteworthy thing to the other: Washing needs to be done, cats need to be
groomed, tax form must be completed, and most urgent of all un-noteworthy
things that has the power to ruin my day: something needs to be done about my
hair; it’s as ratty as the mood I’m in!
It’s Monday morning, and it’s coming down, just like
Chris Kristoffersen used to sing in his slightly hungover manner. Only hís was
a Sunday morning, remember?
I had a good mind to go right back to bed after doing
the school round. To just play dead and not move a muscle except for the
involuntary ones; heart pumping and lungs doing their in/out thing. Tired? No,
not really. I had a perfectly relaxing week-end.
I think I have the winter blues. Why would they be
called so, I wonder? Monday blues, winter blues, Blues music. Katie Melua sings
about wearing her blue shoes.
Her voice sounds blue,
So see;
it must be true:
blue
must be
the off-colour hue.
O my word! Now I’m composing poetry! Not a good sign.
Better get myself outside and away from mirrors and keyboards reflecting my
morbid state of mind. I recently read an article on the SAD condition. No, it’s
not exactly being unhappy, although it is one of the known symptoms. Very
common condition too. It’s estimated that about one in five of us show typical
symptoms during the winter months of Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD, see!
As daylight decreases we become more irritable,
lethargic, we sleep longer, crave comfort foods and usually gain weight. You
too?!
It is suggested that one gets as much direct daylight
as possible, increase Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet and maintain a constant
blood sugar level by eating foodstuffs with a low GI.
They say nothing of procrastination though. So SAD or
no, the washing needs to be done! I’ll take this bundle and hang it out to dry.
Give it a good shake. How pretty these rosebud flannels are!
It’s rather windy. August already. “A williwaw is
blowing today” my Irish grandmother would say. I turn my face to the sun, and
peeping through my lashes, I turn the world into golden shafts that glisten in
wispy strands of hair being blown hither and thither. If I could bottle this!
The label would read:
All Natural
Magical highlights.All Natural
Recommended for ratty hair and moods.
Take as needed.
I breathe in deeply. No rain in the air yet. But
something else – a familiar sweetness. Let’s follow that. Let’s play Bee.
O, there! See! The jasmine’s coming into bloom.
Thousands of tickle pink pinheads unfolding into tiny, white stars; a fragrant
galaxy.
The sun feels good on my back. Let’s stay here for a
while. What? Really? A dash of colour in my cheeks? You’ll catch me smiling any
moment now!
I’ll make us some fruit salad to celebrate the new
season’s birth. With strawberries from the patch and an orange from the tree.
Soon there will be some early peaches and plums. Yes, why not? Let’s strew some
jasmine flowers over.
Aah! So that’s what this is all about! All I had to do
was to go outside and collect the mail. Beautiful envelopes delivered through
my senses to tell me in little dashes of colour that blue is only one of the many
hues of life. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I bet it will be something
bright. SAD? Maybe, but nothing a little colour won’t set right.
(2008)
Matilda
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