15.11.11

on the up.


Sometimes on stairs or in elevators I think about the concept of up and also down, seeing as those are the choices, and how often I take the latter or occasionally neither, not moving any which way at all. Because down is easy and standing easier still, especially when it's cold outside and getting darker every day, winter on a tight winch lowering the sky and lengthening shadows, winter with her weakening wiles.

But then I think of the boy that once, he told me, encountered a staircase with a sign UP ONLY it said, UP ONLY, there underground in the deepest dark honeycombed echo of a parking garage, rock bottom as it were, and what if we chose that to be our only choice? What if we decided to go UP, he said, if we decided to always go UP? And he illustrated this interrogative with his hands in the air, reaching, pushing not only higher but more widely, clouds crumbling open above him. I just think we'd all be happier, he said. You know?

9 comments:

grace said...

ohwow.

Kimberly said...

love

olivia said...

love! new life motto. only up.

kristin said...

I recently found your blog through Meg. I love this entry.

Emily said...

Up only? Yes please.

(love this!)

Sum said...

This. Is. Extraordinarily. Amazing. And. Inspiring.

Taylor said...

I wish I had friends who thought like this. We can all be inspired even my a simple parking garage sign. Makes you think, what do we just walk by without passing glance and where are these people to help us see what we missed. Love!

A. said...

New life goal. Up only.
This was beautiful.

Allison Liljenquist said...

Never stand when you can sit.