Moments that Catch the Wind in them | Adelaide Scrapbook

i.

A friend and I were driving down Mount Lofty in the dark. The roads were windy, with hairpin bends, and trees blended into a thick barrier between our vehicle and the view we’d admired from the top. But after several more careful corners, front beams casting a guiding light on the chevrons, the trees suddenly gave way to the view. Between the dark curves of mountain were the brilliant constellations of Adelaide.

ii.

I went to Brighton beach with friends. With a long, thin stretch of sand, and calm, warm waters, this Brighton was a much different experience to the one I know at home. We spent the afternoon in the sea, laughing and throwing a football around. Most uniquely, though, was what greeted us on the shore when we came out of the water. In the shallows, with a small cluster of admirers gazing on with outstretched phones, someone was taking their alpaca for a walk. 

The day was overcast, but light was peeking through the horizon to silhouette the paddle boarders on the water’s surface. The pair walked further, the alpaca skipping as the waves came up to meet them. 

iii.

In the audience of a fringe performance, laughing at perfect comedic timing, elated by the satisfaction of a good performance. Aware of the joy of a shared experience, and its promise for the rest of the evening.

iiii. 

The plane journey where it all began: one seat between myself and the woman on the aisle. A generous steward, sneaking us extra airline branded wine. My already bursting bag overflowed with plastic bottles and appreciation.

v.

A golden sunset on the beach. The busker sang unfamiliar songs, but his consistent playing as the sun descended made them comforting. It was my first day in the city, surrounded by hundreds of others, but I was undeniably alone. I clung to the warmth of the sun on my face, a sensation of connection and contact I could count on. 

vi. 

The first friend, made from passing comments in the kitchen. By the afternoon, we’d taken the tram to the coast and made conversation with strangers on the beach. We swam out over the calm waves, bonded over our shared intentions and anxieties. 

vii.

Conversations in the car with three women who were strangers only weeks ago. Talking honestly about trust and communication and joy. Comfortable to say anything we needed, confident and excited by the ground we covered, the space we created for one another.

I’ve never quite lived in the moment in the way that I am doing now: with only vague ideas of what’s ahead of me, keen to make the most of things as they are now. But sometimes there are moments where I am so aware of the joy I am feeling, or the preciousness of my experience. Moments that feel heightened by my acknowledgement of their impermanence, that seem to catch the breeze and soar.