Some of the best conversations I've ever had...
And, a list of things I feel are worth sharing.
Some of the best conversations I’ve ever had…have been with my dog.
I was out on a walk with my dog, Betty, the other day - and my dog is a bit of a pouncer - she'll jump up at other dogs. She’s only being friendly but it can get her in trouble sometimes.
I spend a lot of time apologising to other dog owners.
That's exactly what Betty did this time. She lulled the other dog into a false sense of security and then did her friendly ‘pounce’, leaving some poor poodle-creation trembling in a little ball, and scurrying behind its owner's legs.
I apologise to the other owner and then out of awkwardness, I addressed my dog directly - as if telling her off in public would somehow make up for it, "What did you do that for? Are you not listening to me? I’ve told you about this before. That's not a good way to make friends is it?"
I wandered off and continued my conversation with my dog for a further few minutes. We had a good chat and I’m certain, by the look in her eyes, that she got it this time, the penny had finally dropped.
Then the next day, I was out in the same park, this time without my dog. I walked passed an old man sitting on a bench, deep in conversation with his dog.
"I've got to go to the shops in a minute, get some dinner. Not sure what I'm going to get. What do you think?”
I said to the man, "I'm so glad I'm not the only one who talks to his dog."
The man smiled at me sweetly and said, "He's my only friend. He's the one person who truly listens to me."
My heart broke.
I smiled, said polite goodbyes and walked off.
When I got home, I told my dog everything that had just happened.
She stared at me blankly, but I know she totally got it.
There are so many moments that happen each and every day, and if we aren’t tuned into them, they pass us by.
As Ferris Bueller famously said,
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
We can be so distracted, whether that’s in our phones or in our heads, and we waste the golden opportunity of a world that is waiting there for us to discover it, and often we don’t even notice it at all.
As a writer, I try to look out at the world with the eyes of a storyteller. Much like a photographer might assess a scene, looking for shadows and light. There is a story in everything, if we look carefully enough.
The old man in the park could have remained simply just an old man, maybe I wouldn’t have even noticed him if I was distracted or had my headphones on. But, he had some gold to share with me - and thankfully I was open to receive it.
I was a different, and hopefully better, person for that exchange with him.
I appreciated my dog, even more than I already did.
I felt incredibly grateful for my family when I got home, sensing the old man’s loneliness.
But most of all, I was grateful to the old man, for making my heart skip a beat, and reminding me that it’s okay to be honest and vulnerable, even with a total stranger.
That’s how we connect.
That’s how we touch one another.
That’s how we be human.
That’s how we love.
Here are a few things I felt were worth sharing this week:
This video of a dancer attempting to climb a set of stairs, set to Debussy’s Clair De Lune, is quite old but it’s still mesmerising and beautiful.
This book, The Autobiography Of A Yogi by Parmhansa Yogananda, was the very first spiritual book I ever read. I read it when I was 17, back in 1989, off the back of my Beatles obsession and George Harrison’s relentless praise of how the book had changed his life. It changed mine, for sure.
I recently revisited this Happy Place podcast episode between Fearne Cotton and Dr Jane Goodall, it’s a very hopeful conversation. Jane Goodall is considered the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, after 60 years studying the social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees, she’s also worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues for six decades. Listening to her gentle energy and her passion for nature is like taking a deep, relaxing breath.
This list of books on writing is great and has given me a few new ideas for my book wish list. (My book wish list is already long enough to last me three more lifetimes.)
There’s something so haunting and beautiful about these images of empty tennis tables taken by photographer Paul Thompson. It’s very zen and peaceful. There’s a stillness and magic to the world without people in it. It’s why I like being up at the break of dawn, it feels like you’ve got the world to yourself.
A great article on George Harrison’s struggle for creative freedom when he was in The Beatles written by Phil Hampton from the great newsletter Soaring Twenties. It’s a struggle we all can face at certain times, essentially though the struggle is with ourselves.
I recently watched The River Runner and it was incredible. It tells a story of true resilience as it follows kayaker Scott Lindgren's quest to become the first person to paddle the four great rivers of Tibet's Mt. Kailash. It’s jaw dropping at times, and riveting throughout.
Classic but often forgotten tracks from 1990 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
x
Can you kick it ... yes you can. Very touching tale of the man talking to his dog. Lovely stuff all round. the kayaking film looks amazing