people Archives - Sail Element

By Noah D.

I came to London the first time in 2008. Since, then I have spent quite a bit of time here: coming up on one year with nary a break.

But I was once the guy on the street corner staring at a map. I had never been to St.Paul’s or walked from the Houses of Parliament to the Tower Bridge on either side of the river. I didn’t know the difference between Leicester Square and Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus or what happens at those different places. Less than that, I didn’t even venture a guess at what a “Shoreditch” was or the best place to exchange money.

The expat community in London is quite large. I wonder how many take a little pride when a friend visits and says: “Could you show me around?”

I assure you, it doesn’t happen in small towns very often. You usually need a purpose to visit small towns. Not that they’re not friendly, of course, but why else would you go there?

Perhaps it is even a point of pride, but being in London and being on the streets this much puts me in a position of responsibility: a position of hospitality. It is certainly not a heavy burden, per se, but it is one I take seriously. If I can help someone have a good experience in “my town” then it is up to me to give it a shot… even if it is more walking than you’ve done in weeks. 🙂

But shouldn’t that be the way of the world? Not passing each other on the street with indifference, but almost as the monks do in their hallways, blessing each other and wishing each other well in their journey. To be unrealistic, should I not wish to bless each of the throngs of holidayers clogging the exit of Tottenham Court Road station? Should I not hope to wish the Random Stoppers as they walk along in a crowd and suddenly turn around to flow upstream like a salmon to spawn?

I’m being a little idealistic, but I have to wonder: why extend hospitality and illumination to only your friends on the rare occasion they come into town when you’re around dozens and hundreds and thousands of people every day who you might just be the light in their rather dark world.

If you’re ever in town, look me up. I’d love to show you around…

###

NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, this post originally appeared here. I post it here because of its relevance to recent events and the fact that I, too, need to listen to my own thoughts from time to time.

By Noah D.

The day the Sky set Paris on fire began like any other.

And just like any other, most people forgot about the Sky.

They went about their lives thinking that it was their own creations that rule the world: man-made towers of industry and commerce, that make the streets dark at noon and change the course of history. After all, they control the night! “It is not the moon’s rays that illuminate our stone canyons. Our light dominates the night!”

So, only a few noticed at first. Perhaps just the old men who work at thinking, or perhaps the girls with boys that bored them.

But in the evening, the Sky decided to remind all those below and sent his army of clouds encroaching from the west. Many feared Rain and cursed the Sky after such an otherwise beautiful day under the blue. Their important plans they made to sit in the terrace outside the cafes might be interrupted and they would have to move inside their secure walls instead.

“The Sky wouldn’t dare…” said they.

The gargoyles and the pigeons talked amongst themselves. They had not seen such from the Sky since a long time ago and worried what it would mean.

They knew they might not be smart enough to figure it out, but, being just gargoyles and pigeons, they were fairly certain they would survive anything that would come their way. They always have.

The Cathedral saw it coming first (as it often does in times like this). Those who created cathedrals like her were wise in their decisions to always let them keep an eye on the wests. They knew that even though the trouble might come from the easts, the Big Circle on which we live grows smaller each year: someday the west will be as close as the east.

The River, usually the last to know such things, could even feel the change and sent word downstream to ask the Sky what was going on; the River received no answer in time.

Expectation was everywhere while the people paraded by. None saw it. Or perhaps none cared.

And then it happened…

The Sky opened his mind.

The people stopped and watched. Even the cold and the uncaring stopped and were warmed.

The burning brought out the population as if the ship was sinking. Even the buildings were ashamed of their pride and breathed the Sky.

And for a moment, the Earth was still. All who lived could see that the canyons of darkness were diminished…

…and the most important things of life remained.

In the end, the Sky sighed and moved on. Not even he can withstand the passage of Time.

Night fell.

The canyons remained…

…and became illuminated once more.

###

NOTE: This post originally appeared here on the day it was photographed.

Tag: people

Once I was the new guy…

The day the Sky set Paris on fire…