Khaya Ronkainen

Dear Friend,

I took the first photo yesterday evening and the second one this morning. The day before last, while everyone in my household was snoring away, I stepped outside despite the cold. Stars illuminated the sky as I stood, hoping for a repeat occurrence; the northern lights that flashed a smile two nights ago. What I got in instead was a shooting star.

In that moment of aloneness, in a trance, mesmerised by the comet zipping across the sky, I realise we cannot negotiate with Mother Nature. She does what she wants and gives us what we need, not what we want. Whatever bad dream woke me up, I cannot remember. But I remember the sky reaffirming we are never alone, no matter how much we believe in our loneliness.

You and I are members of “Art IS Wasting Time” team. We swallow clouds and expel water for all boats to rise and sail the tide. Then, in the dark hours of the night, reach for our witching tools to play with language and build monuments with words.

What good is magic if we hoard it? I tell you, friend, the old self must die for the present self to live. Let’s negotiate the tyranny of a sunny day to re-imagine and birth our future selves. Onwards with wasting time and making art that keeps us alive!

Yours in shared power of storytelling,

K

Prompt 7: Negotiation for Write Right @Thotpurge