Sitting with all the other adults on the sideline of Salmon Street Fountain amidst Portland’s heatwave, I watched the kids cooling off, playing, and finding delight in the water. I wanted so badly to run in and take off the heat and dirt of the last days’ drive, but I couldn’t stop worrying what others would think of a fully-clothed, full-grown woman behaving that way.
Then I remembered living your life according to others’ opinions is a consuming and unfulfilling path, and between the overheated adults and the laughing children, it was all too easy to see who was enjoying life more than the other at that moment.
Go jump into that goddamn fountain. I promise the water’s just fine.
two birds. 