He couldn't concentrate on what he ought to have been doing; concentration flushed.

The pull of procrastination was full and hard; he gripped against it, palms and fingers rubbed raw from the tugging.

He wished he could have the sense of mystery of a young child, fresh in view.

At the most inopportune moments possible, he thought of her, an image floating in his mind's eye.

He imagined that a life full of such spitefulness could only lead to heartache and turmoil and moments of emotion existing as mere schadenfreude, the pleasure increasing at the misfortunes brought on by spite and hatred.

He could see that his place in the here and now was nothing more than a spot on the continuum, each day rolling into the next like a snowball rolling down a steep incline, picking up speed and snow as it turns ever faster, the valley calling loudly.

He could close his eyes and smell her scent just on the edge of the wave tossed air gusting off the bay; but it was a mirage, as he knew she was miles away, another river holding her heart.

He felt a yearning, one that had not so much creeped into his psyche as ambushed it in a daring and blazing daylight attack, and he ached for the yearn back.

The wind was finally cool and moist and felt like a winter was reaching out to touch more than flesh.

He was certain the future held a joy yet unseen; it beckoned.

He was wrapped in the stillness of the autumn morning, an envelope of peace around him intruded by thoughts of mortality.

"Sweetie," she said, and he felt complete and special, one among many, a soul not lost.

We must be thankful, always, for that which we have been given, a life along a river, a life bountiful and full.

Met by autumn stillness, he stepped into the sunlight, cloudless blue skies overhead and a dance of tiny ribbons on the river's surface.

He felt light, like warm air rising in the cool autumn chill, reminded of what was, what might have been, what will be; he could touch the sun, a burning orb nestled above the clouds.

A glance across to the windswept white foam, and he realized he'd taken the path of least resistance, one step and one day at time.

The river cuts us off; a lazy ribbon too deep and wide to cross keeps us from setting foot in the promised land.

There's nothing for me but the rain.

And suddenly it was over, a final breath taken and the spirit lifted; he wished for hope and realized the fate which would meet us all.

He realized the river was never the same moment to moment and day to day, and he realized crisis gave birth to opportunity; these thoughts gave him unquenching hope for the future, a hope he dreamed would be fulfilled in some way yet unkown.

The hint of autumn came off the river; he yearned brisk air, thick quilts, and a warm woman to hold.

There was a taste in the air, the taste of crisp humidity tinged with autumn's early bite.

When she calls me "sweetie," my breath jumps and my body inhales sharply.

Earl, having decided not to deliver on promises made, skirted past our piece of paradise, leaving us only slightly wet and very happy.

Late at night, when the house was silent but for the sound of the air coming through the vents, he'd wonder how the past had led him to where he was.

The lure of the screen kept him seated.

The 500th post, and he'd been just then ready to just walk away.

He suddenly saw what his youth would have been like had the Internet existed then; it scared him, frankly.

Certain of nothing, he faced the eastern sky, wide and tall.

Somewhat self-imposed, the hiatus away from the Internet has reminded him that the world was not just bits and bytes with light and dark on the screen; he wanted to swing a hammer and not be tied to a keyboard.

The water, still and silent, reflects the winter sky; boats rest quietly at anchor.

The dark sky was alive with the sparkle of white lights outlining the distant horizon.

He felt overcome and powerless when he couldn't find his keys and access passes for work; without them, he was no one.

Sunday evening and he felt the world of possibilities laid out in the week at his feet; Friday might find him beaten down, but from Sunday's vantage, hope and optimism formed the horizon.

When he didn't try to think, he found that life ran more than smooth, a ribbon stretching into the unseen distance.

He felt the rush of a fruitful day.

In a world of quiet desperation, each of us goes through life a stranger to family and neighbors, a passage of time unmarked by celebration.

He felt as if would live forever, decades like months, life spinning toward him.

He found himself staying up later and later, his body aching and requesting slumber under the night sky.

He knew the hours of darkness would lull him to a sense of security and peace.

Home was comfortable, a welcome place or respite in the midst of turmoil and winds.

He seemed to thrive and yet he felt empty inside, a sense of purpose lost like a leaf on the breeze, browned and brittled and blow along the alley, unseen and unnoticed in the grander schema.

The evening no longer held the same appeal as it did two or three decades before; he felt the night in his legs earlier and earlier with each passing year.

He slept with the window open, autumn rain providing the music for slumber.

The night sounds drifted through the open window, and he realized that autumn was upon him, a cool, cricket-filled darkness encompassing all beyond the glass.

He was pretty certain that things were always more complicated than they appeared from a distance.

He would drift back, his eyes closed, to moments not forgotten, a yearning welling like a moving storm, wind tight against him.

He watched the water shimmer in the morning light and felt the soft touch of life upon his cheek.

Wonderful world
Originally uploaded by Tin Green

He was awestruck that time went forever and he was but a fleck of dust, a flicker not even caught in the sun's light.

A heavy weight in my arms is welcome.

Like water flowing over the lip of a sink, he spun down and and away, following the path of perfection laid out in front of him.

As a Scurry, I'm in hurry; let's play.

Chewbacca, or whatever his name is.
Originally uploaded by Tidewater Muse

He thought, for sure, the world is a wondrous place that can't be matched in any imagination.

Full of anticipation, he looked forward, the future not muddled with the clouds of what could be, but clear with what would be, a time of his own making.

It was a wonder, and yet he never once thought about it; it made him feel young.

Akenham
Originally uploaded by Simon_K

Nothing but a numbness, spreading, that made him aware, the colors washing over them in the light of the setting sun, orange bursting from across the way.

reeds
Originally uploaded by buzzhayes

With trembling hands, he parted the long stems, curious at what he'd see, but also filled with fear and wondering.

Overwhelmed, he thought of the possibility of an unlimited number of worlds, each created from a moment of decision made in haste.

Lavender Sunset Surprise
Originally uploaded by Fort Photo

While the smell of the Chesapeake tickled his nose, he wished for prairie and the scent of the heartland.

He was amazed how money slipped so quickly from his grasp.

"Remind me," he said, "why things aren't the way they were supposed to be?"

While wanting all voices to be heard, he knew that some voices would drown out the others.

Trapped, he saw the world spin, a flurry of light and dark and muted colors.

He'd been bit by too many parents who'd thought their own children were perfect.

He was certain parent/teacher conferences were not the preferred method for sobering up.

The slips of paper dropped from his hand as he realized once again he had not won the lottery; he was thankful the stones were smooth.

He thought about missed opportunities, realizing that every missed opportunity presented another for the taking.

Without thinking, he stepped off the curb and into the swirl of traffic, a river of metal and humanity moving without pause.

He knew life was calling to him; the churn of the world was in the way, silencing the call.

Green path to white
Originally uploaded by Pakueye

The path before him cut straight and narrow, a whispered calling in a land of plenty.

Oil Reserves in Doubt
Originally uploaded by Michael P. Whelan

He wasn't certain, but he thought perhaps this was the time to just slide on home.

Leaving the day
Originally uploaded by Pakueye

The waters of the river lead to the world; he felt a sense of connectedness under the darkening sky.

nuvole nere all'alba
Originally uploaded by ascaro41

No dream, he knew paradise was where he was, no matter where he was; now, if he could just accept this.

hell on earth III
Originally uploaded by sanabria

He remembered that in nearly every case, he had something to be thankful for, and he had a realization things could be much worse.

Suffering through a Friday afternoon with the knowledge that as each minute slips past, it will never be recovered.

IMG_4752.jpg
Originally uploaded by ijustine

He was pretty certain that Twitter was taking all his best lines.

Beauty At The Water's Edge
Originally uploaded by Steve Rosset

He was looking to the future and saw only still water and bright lights, a mirage twice over.

Maserati 2
Originally uploaded by jalopnik

He wasn't certain what was actually for sale...

Jan. 10. 2008
Originally uploaded by TedSher

He knew his own mild winter was merely either luck or a figment of his imagination.

shwaaaa
Originally uploaded by .kalil

Never content, when he stepped outside into the blustery wind off the water, he wished for warmer weather, all while remembering in the heat of August he'd prayed for winter.

"Look closely," he uttered, "and time stands still."

Lines in the sand
Originally uploaded by Keren Fedida

Water became sand as his mind withered.

Overhead
Originally uploaded by konaboy

With the new year roaring and tumbling over him, he knew that the spinning was beyond control; he could only ride and hope for the best.

We three...
Originally uploaded by Miss Aniela

He saw the three; he was entranced; he knew it was Christmas.

Paolo Pellegrin/Mangum, for The York Times
Originally uploaded by vegasmike433

He'd lost a day, but still he was certain the task would be completed.

Undisclosed Location
Originally uploaded by williskewl

Undisturbed at an undisclosed location, his thoughts were on finishing, not starting.

Documerica: Biking by Donald Emmerich, 1973 (NARA)
Originally uploaded by pingnews.com

Almost like a world lost; his memories were faint.

As he aged, he knew the days disappeared faster, each rising sun merely the calling to dusk.

P2270005
Originally uploaded by Tidewater Muse

No matter he didn't try, he kept adding to the Earth's ever-burgeoning population.

jubi and flo
Originally uploaded by crazymoflo

Desperate for remembering, he sought the words, words washed with the scent of nectar and the taste of mint.

that golden light...
Originally uploaded by Paula Anddrade

Summer holds on, but autumn waits, willing the heat to move south.

Business Graph
Originally uploaded by Mint Software

He was sure that the bubble was nearly played out, and he remembered the adage that "what goes up, must come down."

Day 124 : It's a Nice Day for a... Striped Wedding.
Originally uploaded by kisluvkis

He felt as if he'd been through the wringer, all striped and tired.

D r e a m y
Originally uploaded by imapix

Autumn was marching southward, colors spreading blanket-like over the undulating land.

The night was wet with humidity and heat; he felt oppressed by dark.

eden hall tree
Originally uploaded by surplusparts

Autumn, he thought, could not come soon enough.

Silver Wings
Originally uploaded by Coast Guard BM

The night sky beckoned him home, a temptation realized.

When the autumn leaves start to fall...
Originally uploaded by Evelyn Arthur Richman

His joints and bones told him that Autumn was only days away; he looked forward to the bite and to the colors.

spin
Originally uploaded by ososment

Nearly thirty years ago it was when he told me, "You really don't want to know what you did last night."

Coast Guard House
Originally uploaded by matching1223

He longed for a quiet place to relax without the tempest of life to suck him into the marrow of activity.

Talk Like A Pirate Day
Originally uploaded by Karri L

He hoped he could pull it off for an entire day.

Emerald Lake
Originally uploaded by bespam

"When people do not feel emotionally strong they will often let their environments fall into disarray."

from The Psychology of Clutter

Another Beautiful Ending
Originally uploaded by Ms Ladyred

How can you have a beautiful ending without making beautiful mistakes?

~~ from a fortune cookie, 9/13/2007 ~~

Originally uploaded by *Blunight72*

He remembered how it was before; he felt the loss.

Bike for Sale
Originally uploaded by Tidewater Muse

He knew the feeling; whenever she said anything, he knew she meant something else.

He wanted to take beautiful pictures.

Chappel Porth
Originally uploaded by ljesmith

Time opened him up; he reached for the sky, muscles taut, an embracing to the God-given everything.

me doctor?
Originally uploaded by ! ! $_Japan Idols

Under her stare, tension walked across his shoulders.

I missed the sunset
Originally uploaded by peterastn

Life slowed to a pace that allowed for moments when he actually "saw" rather than "passed."

Time Traveler's Wife paperback
Originally uploaded by tammiyk1

Like an old friend, the book wrapped its arms around him and drew him in close.

IMG_0208-1
Originally uploaded by 34ever

He realized he wasn't in Kansas anymore; he thought perhaps his mind was playing tricks with reality.

Zuiderkerk - Amsterdam
Originally uploaded by Mor (bcnbits)

The sight of home brought a smile to his face.

July 28, 2007
Originally uploaded by ReeBeckiSupergirl

Walking home, the sounds of crickets lulled him with a sense of safety and comfort.

ball_point_pen_7077
Originally uploaded by AAA Studio

He spent the entire workday in meetings; he was ready to poke his eye with a sharp stick or a cheap ball point pen.

Just Breathe In
Originally uploaded by Ms Ladyred

Embrace the day and all that comes with it; just breathe in.

He finally found a place to call home.

Waking in the Obliquity of the Ecliptic
Originally uploaded by lorenzodom

Cover worn, the book was like an old friend, cherished and welcome even in the glow of midnight's oil.

In the Library
Originally uploaded by lizthegirl

He knew that it was evenings like the disaster that had befallen his house which had allowed prohibition to take root.

How did the Devil come?
Originally uploaded by Simon_K

The clouds were bigger; the sky was bigger; he felt more alive.