sitting quietly at a table
ms
solitary, head bowed
a coffee and scone
lost in his thoughts
without speaking with him
I created my stories, was he
remembering the past
dreaming of tomorrow, praying?
yet, only he can tell his story.
as I sat alone at my table
with my journal and camera
I began to wonder what stories
about me do others create?
4 Comments
Joe
This resonates with me as I too often wonder what people are thinking when I’m in the position of that fellow. Then I came upon this quote by David Foster Wallace: “You’ll worry less about what people think about you when you realize how seldom they do.”
Have a poetic New Year, Monte
Monte Stevens
I’ve heard that quote and resonate with it, also. I actually had no thought about what others were thinking about me until later when I was home and writing this post. That is not always the case. 😂
Tom Dills
I love to invent stories, and often nicknames, for people we see out and about. I think most folks these days are more inwardly focused (or perhaps phone focused) and don’t see others as we observers do.
Kathy refers to the Wallace quote often, although I had not known the attribution.
Everyone has their story, and I often wonder how close my version of their story comes to the real one.
Monte Stevens
First, I’d never thought of giving nicknames. Gonna have to think on that one. Second, I also wonder how accurate my story is with their true story. I’ve had students on campus think I’m a professor, primarily because I sorta fit that idea to them, old and gray hair.
I’ve worried to often about what others thought about me but that has diminished over time. Much more comfortable with who I am and who I’m becoming than in my younger years. And, I’m okay with looking older and having gray hair.