Saturday 27 June 2009

Nightswimming (deserves a quiet night)




I spent two or so hours today gathering hay with a pike, making 'wines', with my parents and grandfather, harking back to before the introduction of baling machines. A very old-fashioned, rural activity. It felt quaint. We do, each summer, go to the bog a few times, but this was the first time I've done this. Taking the photographs, my grandfather said I could be looking at them when he was dead - some "posterity" - he's obsessed with his own death.

(As am I obsess with my own, but we shan't go there...)

I went, last night, to a free concert (The Coronas) with some friends (Clare, Shane, Fiona, Maura and Leanne was there too). The concert was surprisingly good. I only knew one of their songs, but I do like their sound. And they were very nice guys. Down to earth. We, afterwards, went to a bar, followed by a nightclub and, though there were some underlying tensions brewing and bubbling, I had a relatively good time. Not wonderful - I fear my times in nightclubs will never be wonderful - but as enjoyable as it could have been.
The best part of the night came next. It was about 2 or 3 in the morning and Clare, Shane, Fiona and I went down to the beach, stripped down and went nightswimming. The stars were out and the water was cold and there was a vast expanse of beach - the tide was so far out. I feel that looking back at my youth in my old age, I will see that scene. I felt so alive.

I need more of that.
I almost wasn't going to go. I'm glad I did.
I need to take more chances and do more things in life.

I couldn't fall asleep last night though.
Too preoccupied with my own mortality... Oh Michael...

1 comment:

  1. There's nothing like getting back to the simple life that puts things into perspective. I think it's natural to feel a desire to find the simplicity and peace that you can find outside of your normal world. However, it is amazing how much you can miss the simple things in your normal reality. Balance is key, as it is in everything.

    Tales.

    ReplyDelete