FEBRUARY

Ah, February.

My birth month.

With each year that passes, It seems I consciously plan less and less during this month/ interval of time.

My past has given me a confidence and knowing that what is meant for me will be there.

Plans develop, people reach out.

Each day has it's own purpose and sense of direction.

The closer I look, the more see it.

Backwards, forwards, all the ways.

As you might have observed through my short break from my writings, February has passed with great momentum for me this year.

It's a different day.,

It's 02.22.2022 for one thing.

For another, its the first time I've treated myself to a sit down trip to the coffee shop in about 4 months.

Let's be clear on what happened for memories sake..., Myself and MANY others were forbidden entry because a new criteria became mandated.

Instantly upon effect, all of those who did not fit the criteria were deemed unfit to dine in.

To say I wasn't impacted by what happened would be a lie.

I paused my writing as I was approached by an older man that I could feel looking my way and possibly wanting to say a few words. I took an earbud out to enjoy a few moments of candid conversation with the general public, which I've not done in much longer than I ever thought I would've had to go without doing it.

Such a strange thing to get used to and one step further, grow to miss in it's absence.

That person I've never met that wants to share a conversation about life.

It felt like a sign.

A sign of optimism.

He told me he was born and raised here.., this neighborhood (Southland).

It was nostalgic to imagine his memories of riding horses around the neighborhood.

"This all used to be farm land.."

I wish it still was.

I told him it sounds like another life. A beautiful one, I wish I added in retrospective.

He told me he's a regular and he's been here regularly, watching these recent phases as they pass.

I told him I've not been here as I've not been able to meet the criteria until the rules loosened just days prior.

It felt good to speak my truth, these past months I feel I've been denied that, along with so many others.

The conversation was nice. I appreciated the banter and easy going nature of the interaction.

I think it would have been proper for us to exchange names.

Thoughts aside, I let the moment pass.

He wished me a good remainder of the day and once again it was just me, and my writing.

For now, I've included a few photos of the sky and rink on a recent trip there for a skate.

Trips to the skate rink have been some moments I really enjoy over the past months and weeks.