A Recognition

As a student I hide myself behind an unremarkable exterior but wondering about those paragraphs in history,no-one can explain, where brave men live, striding across ungoverned terrain where only the courageous or foolish dare explore. 

She must have known that because a girl just sat down beside me on the train and said, “What do you seek in life?” and, of course, the normal or replete among us would have granted her the briefest of glances before saying “Nothing” and then returning to their newspaper but that is not what I did.

My imagination, always careless of the sensible, took over and I said, “Something about the definition of life: about how connecting with another, or anybody is the only thing which saves us from the bald truth: that the universe is not interested in your history.” 

 To my surprise she did not look round for the conductor and say “This is a madman, get him off the train,” but replied, “Me too, I’ve got no answers either, so I just bought a ticket to the end of the line and when the mood takes me I will get off and explore wherever I’ve landed. Come with me: it might be fun!” and for reasons I cannot explain apart from the lack of choice, I did what she requested.

She was not a girl fixated on material success and , like many of us, dreamed of that unlikely dance where the everyday and wonder join within our souls. Perhaps she had discovered, like me, that curiosity may bring you to the edge of wilderness from which few of us return.

We worked as a waiter and waitress at a cafe in Cardiff at the end of the  railway line, and discovered we could connect with people who did not dream of being important until, heartened by each other’s company we saved the wherewithal purchase the cafe from the retiring owner: a lifelong friend.

Finally, soothed by routine and the recognition we gained from each other and our customer’s we became engaged and then married: it was the bravest wisest thing I ever did and joined with her I discovered that wonder is often hidden within the mundane. We rescued each other from absurdity and celebrate that everyday !

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