Every time I’m in my local park, I walk passed a series of wooden benches.
They are neatly lined up alongside each other and have a beautiful view of the city centre and its burgeoning skyline off in the distance.
Every single one of the benches has a metal plaque with the details of a person to whom the bench is dedicated too.
For a number of years, I have just walked by these benches and cast a casual glance over the plaques and then walked on, often lost in my own little world.
More recently though, I have started to pay more attention to the world around me when I walk. I’ve ditched the headphones, podcasts and audiobooks in place of the sounds of nature and the real world.
The other day, I stopped at the benches and studied the names. Two benches, in particular, stood out to me.
For Mia,
A friend to anyone and loved by everyone always
20.1.2003 - 26.11.2020
Dawn Simpson
Born 1971 - 1973
Peacefully sleeping
Mum, Dad, Sisters and Brothers
There are stories here.
Tragic ones, perhaps heroic ones.
And yet, there's also a lot of love.
Beloved relatives often adorn the benches with fresh flowers, and no doubt sit there wrapped in a blanket of memories.
I didn't know Mia, or Dawn, but I can imagine their stories, their lives.
Mia was 27 when she died.
Dawn was just 2.
You just know there’s heartbreak and hurt behind those numbers and those names.
Families have paid for a bench to commemorate their loved ones so that they won’t be forgotten.
And it works, because even now, as I write this, and you read it, we are keeping them alive through story.
And to me, that feels like a beautiful thing.
Here are a few things I felt were worth sharing this week:
This article on the literary roots of Die Hard was fascinating. I never knew that it had started out as a book that was rejected time after time for decades before the film was made. More recently the film has become embroiled in the relentless questioning of whether it’s a Christmas movie or not. The film’s director John McTiernan weighs in on the debate here.
This piece called Enlightenment is Like the Moon: A Deep Zen Buddhist Poem on Awakening is a beautiful and soothing read with some stunning images that set your heart on fire.
I enjoyed this interview with author John Wray on finding your path, even if it takes awhile. It breaks down the divisive myths of what it means to be a writer and a creative.
While my heart feels that AI is almost certainly not going to lead anywhere good for humanity, in its current state it is still at the relatively novel stage and there are some interesting and creative uses of it. This one where an artist used AI to expand famous album covers is absolutely brilliant.
When Ram Dass and Alan Watts spent time in each other’s company magic happened. In this discussion between the two of them, they discuss everything from the nature of reality, the universe, God, and everything in between. You could listen to them talking all day long.
I’ve been listening to this beautiful podcast called The Way Out Is In. It’s presented by Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and lay Buddhist practitioner and journalist Jo Confino, and it’s so serene and peaceful to listen to. I can’t wait to work my way through the rest of the episodes.
I recently watched Hachi: A Dog’s Tale based on a true story about a dog and his owner. It was beautiful and I cried through most of it. I love movies about animals but they do break my heart at the same time.
Classic but often forgotten tracks from 1984 that I revisited this week.
Thanks for reading!
My new book, B7965 - A boy called Szmulek: A man named Sam, is out NOW!. It’s a powerful memoir of my unexpected year-long journey with a Holocaust survivor. I’m super proud of it and very passionate about sharing Sam’s incredible story and getting it out into the world. I truly believe this is a very important story and one that the world needs to hear more than ever right now.
Also, if you like great music, please check out my radio station, The Buzz Mcr. We don’t do ad-breaks, news, weather, and travel. The music never stops. We have a thing called our Three Song Trust Policy, it’s like the old Pepsi challenge only with music. Try us, I think you’ll like us.
With love
Rik
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