the map village street editors

And suddenly you’re writing with the intention of an Antarctic breeze. Emails are the new phone call. I estimate I spend half of my day reading, writing and re-writing emails. That’s why when one, a mile long comes in after hours from the West, you can treat it like a book and read without the pressure of your response. This particular email came from a friend who has been living in Geraldton, Western Australia for the past two years. He has been living in a four bedroom house, with his partner (now fiancée), about two blocks from deserted sand dunes and the big blue. He recently proposed to his girl, at sunset on these dunes and is now eyeing off returning to ACT and then to a very special place to host a wedding for friends and family, and get married, for each other.

His email was a snapshot, a glimpse, a summary, an extended diary, a stream of thoughts spread over a week of his life about work, thoughts about marriage and children, friends and observations of those around him. It made me realise how each and every one of us is experiencing life and the passing of time and is faced with a hundred different decisions each day as to the experience we create for ourselves in the future. To read his thoughts, laid bare, was such a pleasure and I was deeply humbled to be sent such a piece to actually hear another person’s thoughts. He reminded me about the paths we all walk, the sights we have the choice to see and the decisions and consequences we make and experience. He also reminded me to write.