Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents #6 Bewildered
Hello all, welcome to day 6 of Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents. Still not bored of that title but just a second ago I imagined that I named it Footprints in the Sand... great name but possibly too deep for a light-hearted project? It also doesn't really have any relevance other than the fact that I went to the beach today...
Right now I'm sat outside in a comfy chair, sunglasses on my head, ponytail twisted into a messy bun (or cone) and feet at one with the dry and patchy grass. I'm at peace. I must admit that I'm feeling the warmth even though we're drifting into the evening and the sun is slipping out of sight behind me, swapping places with the breeze. I returned from the beach with a sunburn on my legs in spite of the fact I had smothered myself in suncream. If you're a red-head you will know the struggle!
Today's word is Bewildered and when I sat down last night in an effort to be prepared for the following day, I couldn't think of a situation I found myself nonplussed in. This morning, memories arose, however, I considered how the reason for the bewilderment is the shock of hearing that story from a friend. And obviously, that means that these stories can't always be shared.
...But...
Then I went to the beach and something happened.
So I was sat on the sand reading my current book- Eve of Man by Tom and Giovanna Fletcher- when I got to a part in the story that had me gripped. It was an adrenaline-induced scene and I was leaning forward; mind racing. I was in an on-edge state until I was snapped out of the story by two children running past me into the ocean, covered from head to toe in mud. No exaggeration, their eyes were the only feature that connected them to the people they were before the mud coverage. I turned to a friend and said: "what does that remind you of?"
"The Hunger Games" Was the answer I received and was hoping for.
The children reminded me of the Morphling lady in The Hunger Games Catching Fire when she emerges from the bushes, drenched in blood, to save Peeta from the creatures attacking him. The way the kids were walking- arms wide, shoulders hunched- took me back to another story I love. I found this such a cool moment. I think it's amazing when you're transported to a point in a book in your real life.
I was bewildered for a moment, confused why these children were drenched in thick mud until I realised that the sloping area of land behind me was home to a puddle of mud. These rocks were what I was leaning on and stood as a jagged separation between myself and a group enjoying the puddle. Later on, I turned around to find a full-grown man staring out into the sea slathered in thick brown mud with a serious expression on his face. It's good for the skin I guess? No judgement here.
Now, this was a few seconds of bewilderment. I and many others I've spoken to have had major discombobulation over Instagram adverts that show products you've mentioned or been thinking about recently. In the recent past, I bought a garment from a shop that had come up on my feed. I had bought the outfit in the store and couldn't find it online...
- hold on a second, I did find it on the website. Writing those words sparked the memory... but nonetheless, situations similar have occurred. It can feel really freaky when you're talking to a friend about a product or book you want to get and said thing springs up in an ad.
Have you ever experienced this?
Another example of bewilderment is in the dark. I'm sure we've all had that experience of when you wake up in the middle of the night in a new place and you have to remind yourself of where you are. I remember one time when I went on holiday with my family as a child and myself and my sister were in bunk beds. I was in the lower bunk and my parents' bed was opposite in this one medium-sized hotel room. I woke up before everyone else in my family and I just remember the confusion of thinking 'you're in the wrong bed!'. So I got up and went to the edge of the bed opposite and just perched. I then thought the same thing and circled back to what was my bed. I was so very tired and so very puzzled I switched again where I just sat wherever I was. Eventually, everyone woke up and opened the curtains so that light filtered in and I could see that I was perched on the edge of my parent's bed.
Goodness, I've just remembered another time! On holiday again as a child, we arrived at the hotel where we were all hot and jet-lagged from our flight. I took a nap whilst my family pottered around unpacking. All of a sudden I woke up from this nap a bit grouchy and on a mission to find my flip flops. In my dream, there were monkeys and so I said to my sister, in a bit of a mood already: Where are my monkey feet? Obviously, she didn't understand what I was saying because she wasn't a witness to my dream which only made me more frustrated.
Oh and another time! I was very tired- all of these stories seem to come from tiredness, I think I should try and make sure I get a good amount of sleep- I arrived at school in the morning when I was around 5 or 6 years old. My teacher was taking the register and calling out names one by one to all of us children sat cross-legged on the floor. I was at the front by the teacher's chair, leaning on my palm. I remember her calling out my name to which I responded a very tired 'Here'. Then the next name was called and I gave an almost drowsy sounding 'here!'. As I responded to the name that definitely wasn't mine I recall my head swaying a little in the direction of up and to the right as if I was answering for myself. The boy next to me looked at me with knitted eyebrows in confusion. I woke up quickly after that embarrassment.
Today's word was a tricky one but I'm glad I pushed through the writer's fog and got to my bewildered moments in the end. It's been a bit here and there with past and present but I think that just suggests to you all what I'm like in conversation when I get excited and all these things I want to say pop up.
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| Overhead whilst writing |
As ever, Thank you for reading day 6 of Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents. I will be back tomorrow with day 7: Dashing.
Love,
Buddy Summer xx
Yesterdays Post: #5 Kindness
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