my pleasures are mine

a sensual rebellion

image by matthew cooper & dall-e

i swam alone in tl'elhum lake this morning. it felt childlike to twirl in the water. 

look at the muted sky. glide through the deep grass where the sunfish hide. 

why isn’t everyone here?

remember a time when all of you was drawn toward someone. their every laugh and movement absorbed you. you were confused. why isn’t everyone staring? can’t you all see how beautiful this creature is? that is the confusion i felt in the lake. 

and this is the first lesson of pleasure: my pleasures are mine. 

i feel pleasure in the cold water. i feel pleasure when i float on my back and the light rain touches my cheeks.  

to own our pleasure to rebel. i don’t need your permission. you don’t need mine. focus on what your joy tells you about yourself, not about others. 

where are the places you are amazed and wonder, why isn’t everyone here?

—

june 2024 - saltspring island