"You were barely human" he says."How so?" "I saw you with your husband and found you so attractive. You're not like I imagined"."Explain"."You're so much better. Now that I know you.""We're all only human" she whispers.Our collective delusion of privacy: we so easily believe no one is listening, even on a crowded evening bus.
My view of the world is black and white. Conversations with Boyfriend go like this:Me: I’m giving up coffee. I’ll drink tea instead.Boyfriend: Why don’t you just drink coffee sometimes?Me: I’m sick of my hair. I’m going to cut it like Annie Lennox.
Boyfriend: Why don’t you get a trim and see how you feel?
Every time he gives me an un-extreme option it blows my mind that it’s even available to me.
I’d declare this fills me with such gratitude my heart could burst; but he’d feel more comfortable if I instead stated I’m moderately grateful for his perspective.
That magical moment when you formally interview someone; then run into her a few days later in the gym locker room, naked.
At Heathrow Airport I left my purse hanging from a hook in the bathroom. Inside: wallet, cash, passports, phone, blackberry, boarding pass, a notebook and my planner. A woman found it and handed it to a security officer. I found it intact a frantic 8 minutes later. Not only are humans amazingly kind, they are also highly organized.
Life is so much easier when you decide to assume people have good intentions and are trying their best. We all deserve to be regarded in the best possible light; and to travel through life unburdened by suspicion.
There are a hundred things that are really hard for me that seem easy for others. I overcome secret hurdles every day, which means others do too: a whole planet inhabited by people constantly executing furtive acts of the most intimate heroism.
"There's a scorpion on your shoulder" says a guy to another on the bus. "I'll swat him - don't move"."Oh no no" he replies "he's my pet"."Pet?""Yeah. He's not real affectionate but he's good company. I can take him everywhere.""Doesn't he sting, man?""Well, he won't if I respect his space."It takes a full ten minutes for me to realize that everything I struggle to learn about love I could learn from that man and his pet scorpion.
