Wednesday, September 8, 2010

DEAR YOU


Dear A ... B ...C ... D... E ... F... G .. H ... etc:

Whoever you are, I know who you are.

When you send me messages, or put comments on my blog, you are real, a person I know, and I am talking to you.

It could be your picture (on your FB profile), your photos, videos, or your lack of them, or the interesting graphic -- the symbolic self that you change every so often -- or the albums, or list of friends you have. It could be an insignificant something or other that you have posted.

I want you to know that I remember -- anything you've communicated goes into my brain -- any words on your page, or in anything you've written to me -- it goes in and stays in what my husband calls my "hopper."

I absorb your words and tone and rhythm or lack of it, stiffness, inhibition, tendency to apologize, sense of humor, vaguely sexy or definitely not vague implications -- I sense solidness, lost-ness, even vague unease. I remember what you've conveyed -- not the names -- the importance of certain people, events, things you've done, or mention that you lack.

Yes -- you come and go. You might disappear and stop reading my blog for a long time but if you return, I KNOW who you are. Even if you don't return, the reverberations of our back-and-forthing remain. After I wonder what happened to you, and specifically notice "I haven't heard from so-and-so, I move you to a someplace cloud. Remembering what we exchanged, I deliberately move the cloud out of the way to make space for the current people.

I feel what I am saying as I write -- even when I have a lot of messages, I react to whatever you're discussing, relating it to other things you've said.

Whew! It can be a tower of Babel.. Sometimes it's easy -- other times I'm sort of hmm, mm, umming , because I've allowed myself to think about something else and am slightly distracted.

Are there misspellings in my replies to you? Well, if your hands were on a keyboard between eight and twelve hours a day, that's what happens. My mind moves faster than I can type.

I'll say it again -- dear J ... K ... L ... M ... N ... O ... P ... etc ... I know who you are.

5 comments:

asupatty said...

..I have also moved many poeple to a someplace cloud..very aptly put and let others fill the space where they left a hole... I like the way you process.....have a thoughtful day..I intend on it..in fact -I cannot help it...

Linda Phillips said...

And I know who YOU are!!!!! A wonderful loving, brilliant and tough lady with so many unique qualities!!!!! I adore you!

Linda

Unknown said...

You've touched a lot of lives Emily. I'm thankful to be one of them. Happy New Year to you and your wonderful husband, may it be full of many sweet things.

Fran Leonardis said...

Know what, you have enriched my life in ways you cant imagine. You have given me a chance to express my opinion without out judgement or fear of retribution. (i say retribution because leaning right in the arts is a BIG no no from what I know) Mostly, you have given me a place to have an adult conversation when I have only the 5yr old home to discuss the days events with. :) Thank you Miss Em....from the bottom of my heart.

Lane said...

Surely from that Someplace Cloud, I say, "Hello, Emily!" I love your blog; I just don't get or take time to visit as much as I once did or wish I now would. I have been on one of those other clouds, that cloud that one lives on and in when 'Love' is newly found and too much else can find itself on a back burner just because there are limited hours in a day--and they are hours that seem to move so much faster at my age. But everything takes time to level out: so will this newness of my life, and so will I.... Love to you and John.