A more timely piece from you wouldn't have been possible Jonathan. Today my 15 and 3/4 yer old son whispered to me that he has fallen in love. I glimpsed her beautiful smiling face and though my heart heavy with loss, I smiled with relief too.
I know, I know, he is young but his eyes are blazing with unaccustomed emotion and hope and excitement and the buzz of tingling only that feeling gives and I want this for him, deeply as only a mother can because this is life, regardless of the mess. When you write;
"And even though they know, and they do know that they live in a broken world, they still see great possibilities blossoming before them, they’re still delirious with hope and promise,"
I just thank the gods wherever they are and whoever they are that this is so, that we haven't trodden their dreams into toxicity to the extent that they are too cynical and too accepting of the debris to care.
Have a great weekend, Deep House is bearable mostly!
What a wonderful thing to hear. That glorious intensity of feeling when you're balancing on the vertiginous tower of youth. Always good news however the thing unfolds :)
Sometimes I think that having ones dreams "trodden into toxicity" is just the normal state of affairs for most humans and human societies. I guess every fresh experience of collapse seems like the most tragic and painful, but societal collapse is always happening on some scale or another.
But given the chance to break free of the shackles of previous stupidities, and current stupidities, and our love struck romeos will do a beautiful job of restoring equilibrium. For a time anyway.
(I love Deep House, it was me that go them into some of it. Oh and while we're on the subject, I loved your post today as well. Quite masterful :)
Just a fly on the wall, or a hand on the coffee pump. Could have been hours you listened in, or was it just minutes. You bask quietly in their light . Susie Mawhinney, ( A hill and I ) , in her recent post entitled ; On wings and angels, was asked this question by a young “angel” in her class room,
“Is there anything more important than love?
I know what my answer was, and I’m certain I know yours. Your entire story breathes the word .
“They all talked at once, layers of voices, a four part cacophony crescendoing into a fountain of laughter that splashed around the kitchen like raining joy. I am soaked in euphoria. “
I loved Susie's piece which wrapped so beautifully around that powerful line from the young angel. What a question/statement. Thanks so much Lor, it's a real pleasure to be placed in such fine company.
You're right too, with your observation, I am somewhat hovering in the distance in this one, like a ghost in a way, or a lurking parent cluttering up the kitchen. It's got a painterly quality this one, for me, parts in focus, parts more ethereal.
Thanks Megan, and yeah exactly, all those overlapping realities folded into one another seem to make up the great and the small things. Thanks for noticing :)
This is lovely Jonathan. Really captures youth and the intimacy of family. My daughter turns 18 today! I can't believe it. I'd love to see a pic of your children. I bet they are beautiful X
Funny, I was going to use the ghost scenario, but decided against the idea. You can write up that version many many years from now when you are sitting in your favorite recliner in another room, listening in. Or, I can imagine a grand story of the ghosts of your ancestors listening to your daughter’s conversations, and talking about how they would respond if they could be heard.(That one was Ranger’s idea 💡).
I never raised a teen as my son was relinquished at one month. But I have plenty of memories, rich and full, of those times and of my escapades. I loved your piece and felt invited to the table as a witness. Thank you!
Warm thoughts and condolences to you Linnea. And also, thank you for your lovely comment. I like this piece too. There’s something of late teens caught here. I should work in this :)
Yes you should. Thanks for commiserating. I did meet him in 1999 (he was born in 1970) at his behest. He doesn't want much contact, but that's okay. He's already dumped me twice, he doesn't get a third chance. My sister made up for my lack by having five kids, four are boys!
I know I don't know you Linnea, so please excuse the presumption, but I'm feeling happy somehow buy your comment here. You sound good. And I'm happy about it.
This is so beautiful Jonathan. I felt like I was there watching both them inhabiting their world and you watching them from periphery and taking in all observations with smiles and frowns. The precious generation gap makes families a conduit of never ending stories.
And I smile too, with your words of hope, tundra man :)
Ha ha, Tundra man, brilliant :) That really made me laugh.
:) I liked that a lot!
A more timely piece from you wouldn't have been possible Jonathan. Today my 15 and 3/4 yer old son whispered to me that he has fallen in love. I glimpsed her beautiful smiling face and though my heart heavy with loss, I smiled with relief too.
I know, I know, he is young but his eyes are blazing with unaccustomed emotion and hope and excitement and the buzz of tingling only that feeling gives and I want this for him, deeply as only a mother can because this is life, regardless of the mess. When you write;
"And even though they know, and they do know that they live in a broken world, they still see great possibilities blossoming before them, they’re still delirious with hope and promise,"
I just thank the gods wherever they are and whoever they are that this is so, that we haven't trodden their dreams into toxicity to the extent that they are too cynical and too accepting of the debris to care.
Have a great weekend, Deep House is bearable mostly!
What a wonderful thing to hear. That glorious intensity of feeling when you're balancing on the vertiginous tower of youth. Always good news however the thing unfolds :)
Sometimes I think that having ones dreams "trodden into toxicity" is just the normal state of affairs for most humans and human societies. I guess every fresh experience of collapse seems like the most tragic and painful, but societal collapse is always happening on some scale or another.
But given the chance to break free of the shackles of previous stupidities, and current stupidities, and our love struck romeos will do a beautiful job of restoring equilibrium. For a time anyway.
(I love Deep House, it was me that go them into some of it. Oh and while we're on the subject, I loved your post today as well. Quite masterful :)
'Soaked in euphoria' . So many rushing, alive moments in this piece, Jonathan. Love the energy of it / them as described by you.
I know that intoxicated excitement so well. Lovely interwoven reflections.
Thanks so much Síodhna, I liked that line too :)
Just a fly on the wall, or a hand on the coffee pump. Could have been hours you listened in, or was it just minutes. You bask quietly in their light . Susie Mawhinney, ( A hill and I ) , in her recent post entitled ; On wings and angels, was asked this question by a young “angel” in her class room,
“Is there anything more important than love?
I know what my answer was, and I’m certain I know yours. Your entire story breathes the word .
“They all talked at once, layers of voices, a four part cacophony crescendoing into a fountain of laughter that splashed around the kitchen like raining joy. I am soaked in euphoria. “
You had me at noodles…
I loved Susie's piece which wrapped so beautifully around that powerful line from the young angel. What a question/statement. Thanks so much Lor, it's a real pleasure to be placed in such fine company.
You're right too, with your observation, I am somewhat hovering in the distance in this one, like a ghost in a way, or a lurking parent cluttering up the kitchen. It's got a painterly quality this one, for me, parts in focus, parts more ethereal.
And yeah, noodles, mmmmmmm good :)
Egads. I often feel the entangled jungle of my youth rubbing up against my adulting tundra, but you make it feel more like a dance.
Now that's a line you don't hear very often! Perfectly put Kimberly :)
fascinating and well written. all our our little realities overlapping for these moments.
Thanks Megan, and yeah exactly, all those overlapping realities folded into one another seem to make up the great and the small things. Thanks for noticing :)
Mmmmmm….. such a soft exhale this brings to me.
Thank you
I love your comment, Alix, so glad, so glad :)
Beautiful, I’m there at the kitchen table willing them on!
Me too :)
Beautiful writing and such an honest assessment. As a dad of 3 teens, I feel so similarly!
Thanks Brian, it's funny, I definitely caught something that parents of teenagers recognise :)
This is lovely Jonathan. Really captures youth and the intimacy of family. My daughter turns 18 today! I can't believe it. I'd love to see a pic of your children. I bet they are beautiful X
BTW, this one might be up your street...
https://jonathanfostersthecrow.substack.com/p/here-i-am-here-i-am
Thanks Lily! That's amazing, 18! Weren't we that age once? Life eh...
Funny, I was going to use the ghost scenario, but decided against the idea. You can write up that version many many years from now when you are sitting in your favorite recliner in another room, listening in. Or, I can imagine a grand story of the ghosts of your ancestors listening to your daughter’s conversations, and talking about how they would respond if they could be heard.(That one was Ranger’s idea 💡).
My after-life job prospects are looking good then ;) Thanks Ranger
I never raised a teen as my son was relinquished at one month. But I have plenty of memories, rich and full, of those times and of my escapades. I loved your piece and felt invited to the table as a witness. Thank you!
Warm thoughts and condolences to you Linnea. And also, thank you for your lovely comment. I like this piece too. There’s something of late teens caught here. I should work in this :)
Yes you should. Thanks for commiserating. I did meet him in 1999 (he was born in 1970) at his behest. He doesn't want much contact, but that's okay. He's already dumped me twice, he doesn't get a third chance. My sister made up for my lack by having five kids, four are boys!
I know I don't know you Linnea, so please excuse the presumption, but I'm feeling happy somehow buy your comment here. You sound good. And I'm happy about it.
(and thanks for the encouragement too :)
I had to release control from the get-go.
That might be the wisest approach for all things.
It certainly does keep the peace.
This is so beautiful Jonathan. I felt like I was there watching both them inhabiting their world and you watching them from periphery and taking in all observations with smiles and frowns. The precious generation gap makes families a conduit of never ending stories.
Thanks Swanarli 🙏🏽 I really like the the almost nothing scene of sitting eating noodles and laughing, but it still comes to life somehow :)
A beautiful excavation
Thank you my friend :)
Beautiful Jonathan x
Thanks Ems