Three things of August
1
August is unkind in that the jelly fish are many. We all want to swim in the Pacific, but if we do we run the risk of getting stung. I saw an Instagram story the other day of a friend by a waterfall, swimming just below it in a pool of dark green. Where is this? I asked her. Mt.Mitake. She replied. There are no jellyfish there. She said I should go soon because it was cold now and soon to be even colder. Too cold to swim.
2
Recently I’ve been thinking about my socks. I’ve worn mismatched pairs for as long as I can remember. Even during the summer—in August—when skin is damp and should be set free—I tend to wear socks anyway. I find them comforting. I began mismatching my socks many years ago as a kind of soft rebellion towards conformity. They stuck out and reminded me I could stick out too if I wanted.
After years of mismatching to remind myself of inherent difference, I look down at my feet now and recognize my socks have become my inherent constants—familiar companions in an environment of variables, shifts, and change. When I’m forced to confront layers of myself and others that feel unfamiliar, The Practice of Mismatching Socks feels friendly and safe.
Salarymen sometimes stare at my socks on the train. They quickly look away if they notice me noticing them. The salarymen wear white collared shirts, and black pants, as is expected. Their shoes are shiny and their bags filled with Business and Busy-ness serve as pillows or hip protectors or space dividers. Salarymen are not embarrassed if they fall asleep on my shoulder. They are embarrassed, however, if they take notice that I have not received the memo on Socks And How To Properly Wear Them.
3
Misunderstandings are moments of being peeled back like orange skins. Here, one has to become acquainted with being bare; unashamed of the juices that spill in the process of being undone. I have not yet mastered the Art of Being Misread.
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As always, you fascinate me with your variety of topics, observations and then photos. Each paragraph here is so succinct. I was particularly struck by your discussion of mismatched socks and how it is so much like this world today (perhaps my own interpretation)--those who dress by such strict, orderly rules, in such a disorderly world. And how, in contrast, your mismatched socks bring you comfort. Well done!
Loved the image and description of the orange! What a tasteful unveiling!