Onion Rings and Other Joyful Things 53
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This morning the wind stirs the leaves on the trees into an unsyncopated crisp rustle. The swirled air brings a cocktail of green scents. Two magpies hop and tap dance in the road before lifting their fans and becoming five.
Alt text says this week’s photo is a picture of a person holding up two rings. I say it is my sister holding up two massive onion rings. I also say that one day I will focus when I take the photo and make sure both her eyes are framed.
A year ago my sister had recently been to visit, and I was starting a new career journey. Today my sister has recently been to visit, and I am starting the qualified and accredited part of my new career journey. These are beautiful echoes as the new academic year establishes itself.
Last year I had a black coffee when we stopped for coffee on our shopping trip and this year (having learned the art and joy of going out for drinks in coffee shops) I had an oat milk cappuccino. Both drinks made my head spin as I mostly drink water or minty tea after my first cup of tea of the day. I am amused by how long it took me to understand the joy of going out for drinks or pausing on a day out for some refreshment. For years I thought it was something I didn’t enjoy/didn’t need to indulge in and now I get it.
So what else have I learned/what else am I celebrating from the past year of new paths. Here’s ten things:
1. I still don’t really love onion rings, but I love it when my sister has them.
2. The ‘JOY’ letters get repainted and moved and whatever colour they are and wherever they are they are always fun to be photographed in.
3. The circus still amuses and entertains me.
4. I am really proud of my training to be a coach.
5. I still think of September as the beginning of a new year.
6. I still know that January is also the beginning of a new year.
7. Every day offers the chance of a new beginning.
8. Testimonials make me glow with pride and joy.
9. That spending time working in my stretch zone leads to good things.
10. That I can always be relied upon to have hand wipes and hand gel.
Seasons are important to me and it feels good to share the following poem in September to mark the start of Autumn. I have shared it before, but to me it stands the test of time. It was originally drafted during a workshop with Caroline Bird in September 2021, and was published by Ink, Sweat and Tears a month later in celebration of National Poetry Day when the theme was ‘Choice’. I can’t wait to tell you about another poem of mine (a prose poem) that I wrote two years ago which will be published soon, but for now here’s my ten line autumnal poem:
This Was Once a Good Poem
but it has eaten cheese and pickle rolls for a week now
and it can’t work out why the vitamins aren’t working.
It rocks in the chair until its eyes are too tired to see
and has scared itself with thoughts of Autumn spiders
under glasses in the hallway.
It is wondering if it is true that conkers in corners
keep arachnids at bay
and is now standing in the dark
sniffing last year’s horse chestnuts
desperate to find their scent.
Thank you for listening. Here’s to onion rings and other joyful things. (Feel free to share your onion ring photos if it pleases you.)
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