Presence
May 15 2024
The post-it note
I’d stopped noticing.
That had been so long in place
the ink had faded
edges curled
adhesive lost its stick.
Which is how it caught my eye;
its absence
like a vacuum
drawing me in.
As if the brain, in its depths
keeps track of these things,
reassuring us
as we go about our business
that there’s an order to this world
whether we know it, or not.
It had fallen to the floor.
Of course, the reminder meant nothing anymore,
so who knows
why I left it up so long.
Yet that empty spot
was calling out to be filled,
the way your tongue
keeps returning to the hole
where the tooth was pulled;
worrying the gum
and probing incessantly.
Even a blank note would do;
the empty space filled
order restored.
And now, there it was,
an eye-catching yellow
as distracting
as the emptiness had been.
Still, it felt right,
like something
on the verge of tipping
set firmly in place.
A reminder
that absence is not nothingness.
And that being present
is a thing in itself.
That showing up
is comfort enough,
no need
to speak up
or draw attention to yourself.
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