3.16.2007

Fringe People

You know fringe people. We glide amongst you down city streets. We drink coffee nearby as you pour through notes and scratch out reminders preparing for your next engagement. You laugh joyously with a friend as she details last night’s misadventure, and we watch. We see the sad child-eyes when a parent gets too angry. The dog running off-leash, he is in our visual care.

Some seek the comfort of being enfolded while fringe people need to reside in the outer position, a place that allows the freedom to flee at the first hint of danger. You invite us to join, and we accept, yet even when there we observe.

We play with our duality, the ability to participate and watch at the same time. Inside and outside simultaneously, we try to explain. You smile and nod but aren’t certain you understand. And we know this.

When others say they struggle to be alone with themselves it is our turn with confusion, for intimacy with our thoughts is what we know as home. Sometimes we feel guilt for our place on the fringe, as if we’re defying the biological imperative to bond. And then we ease into our thoughts and recognize our hard wiring as our imperative. With an inhale and an exhale we accept.

15 comments:

Girlplustwo said...

this is beautiful. someone is always watching.

this makes me feel safer somehow.

Anonymous said...

Hi fringe friend. I think the self portrait best describing 'me' is one where I stand with my left hand palm facing out holding back, and my right hand palm in, beckoning.

littlepurplecow said...

I like this very much. Blogs seem to bond the fringers in an amazing way. Offering a deep look inside... from a distance.

flutter said...

This is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous

Slim said...

This is why I enjoy coffee shops so much. I like observing the wide variety of people mingling or keeping to themselves or interacting with friends/lovers. They are frequently a source of inspiration.

Emily said...

I liked this a lot. The first paragraph was especially beautiful.

fringes said...

Very very nice. Thanks for the accidental shout-out. Heh.

Anonymous said...

"Sometimes I wonder why I feel so all alone/Why am I a stranger in my own life?"

Sheryl Crow

That's definitely the expat experience--inside and outside all at once.

Rachel said...

Loved it, really spoke to me on a monday morning, just what I needed to read. Thank you

Willie Baronet said...

love this piece. and i challenge the notion that you are a fringe person. ;-) i suspect you are in the thick of things.

LittlePea said...

I loved this....the 'duality' line really spoke to me.

QT said...

yes - no struggle to be alone with my thoughts here!

Ruby Tuesday said...

This is so beautiful and speaks precisely to why it is I love people watching...there's something so comforting in watching people, in finding that bit of humanity between the shadow, between the mist that forms as you exhale on a cold day...it's pain strikingly beautiful.

Thank you for sharing this.

Deveni said...

appears we have a fellow HSP in our midst... well said xx

Anonymous said...

Those on the fringe are usually most aware, yet least recognized. We live each of our days in the eddies of human habitation.