WATCHING

The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits,
but not when it misses.”
― Francis Bacon

There will be three Fridays the 13th this year – February, March and November.  And we just have to decide whether we are superstitious or not.

Wikipedia gives us a name for Friday the 13th – “paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning “Friday”), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning “thirteen”)” I’m not superstitious and for me, it is just another Friday but I am being extra careful today.

Now to other things.  Today I am WATCHING

• The way a newly born baby attracts people and noticing the joy of being allowed to hold her
• The huge waves rolling onto the beach; they are quite magnificent in their power
• Surfers battling these waves and some succeeding in standing up
• Children paddling in the surf
• Two older couples just enjoying the sunshine, sand and the water’s edge
• Puffs of smoke emanating from White Island – New Zealand’s most active cone volcano.  It’s very close only 48kms/30 miles from shore.  It’s puffing away merrily today.
• And strangers interacting as they meet on the beach
• A couple walking their dogs
• A small child clambering onto a tyre strung up to make a swing
• My partner stretched out on a lounger contentedly reading
• Teachers from the local school rounding up the pupils
• A group of teenagers enjoying their lunch on the beach
• The same group chasing each other and generally having fun
• The brilliant sun shining down onto our part of the world that we call Paradise.