A Day of Light and Ladies.

Tonight I lit a candle in front of my statue of the Chinese Goddess Kuan Yin (more fully Kuan-shi Yin, which means ‘she who hears the cries of the world.’)

In China she is the Goddess of Compassion, but has her origin with the Sanskrit name, Avalokiteshvera, the Buddhist bodhisattva of Compassion. Since today is the start of Diwali, and since Buddhism originated in India, it seemed a fitting time to illuminate the illustrious lady with a flame. And since Diwali is the celebration of the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, it occurred to me that rarely has the world been more in need of her.

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Today I was standing in front of Sainsbury’s munching my weekly treat (a Cadbury’s Wispa Gold) when a woman of handsome aspect came towards me with that look which says (more or less): ‘You probably don’t remember me, so I’ll pass you by to avoid any embarrassment unless you speak to me first.’ At the last moment I did remember her. She was a woman with whom I had the occasional chat in the Costa Coffee shop in pre-pandemic days, and I particularly remembered that she used to have her little daughter in tow. In consequence, I was able to greet her confidently with ‘Hello. Haven’t seen you for a long time. I expect the little one is rather bigger now.’ Not very inspired, but it sufficed and we had another chat while I continued chomping my Wispa Gold.

I still find myself a little nonplussed, you know, by the fact that certain women – especially those of handsome aspect – seem to want to associate with me, even if only for a few minutes. I never was tall, dark, or handsome, and age is taking its toll on my visage quite cruelly now. And then there’s the keratosis adorning my left cheek which I’m waiting to have removed by the doctor with his spray can of liquid nitrogen. (Liquid nitrogen freezes benign skin tumours to death apparently, a prospect which causes me a little disquiet.) Why don’t they give me as wide a berth as seems credible and pretend to be looking with great interest in any direction other than mine? Life is strange indeed sometimes.

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I also complimented the young woman sales assistant in Boots the Chemist for being bloody good at her job, which she was. I even smiled at her. I thought I’d forgotten how to do that.