Do you remember?
The sound of the sounds as they drift away. Decay Time. The half life. In a theatre, the audible decay time might be several seconds, whereas in a small room, it could be much shorter.
In my mind it is forever. Now I begin to capture those whispers of sound and file them. My brain channels those drifting sounds into little locks of volume. They will carry me. For the next year. I have left one family and last night arrived to another family to make my last goodbye here too.
To collect these sounds. Create my own audible soundtrack. Decay time of sound, that last long note, is a lot like the last light of the sun setting. As it hangs in the sky.
Those perfect moments.
Often these are moments we have forgotten to watch for. But there they are. Atmospheric lifetime. Or mean time. I cannot begin to pretend I know all these terms of physics to describe the lifetime of an atom or the hanging of the light or the echo of goodbye.
Those perfect moments under the stars. But they are here – un-labeled – and true.
The flip side of the lions eye.
Today is my only full day back here at PekaPeka Beach. I will pack as much as I can into this day. Starting with an early morning kids soccer game. Then without crying I climb on the bus tomorrow to go to Hawkes Bay where I grew up. Look for Napier on this map!
But I am not quite ready to go into next steps today. Today is this family on this beach. Today is the ring of yesterday’s goodbye..
The stars.
The windows.
The huge beach lined sky.
Take care and Talk soon.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
16 responses to “Decay Time”
These goodbyes chip away at my heart every time.
Yes. Until we are just healing wounds.
For a second, I thought of Spring, puzzled, but then I remembered that to go with leaving PekaPeka Beach, it is Autumn in New Zealand.
Yes. Autumn here. You got it.
Proust called such partings Petit Morts, a Little Deaths.
true that.
I think we all understand C. My tears that accompany this post and the feelings so well known will hopefully carry your brave face forward onto the next stop and then eventually back to the farm…until you can travel again.
It is a sadness we all carry. That is for sure.
In the context of your post I read -initially- atmospheric lifetime as atmospheric lifeline… which such irl connection is for we who live away from dear family and friends until the next time we meet which I’d bet is already being planned. Such is life.
Atmospheric LifeLine. Sounds like the prompt for a poem. Nice miss-read! 😂💥
It’s the connections. We all travel alone, but from time to time we connect to our dear others and cling for a while, and then break free again to travel alone some more. It’s curious; while embedded in family, we sometimes long to break free, and then when we are free, we miss the closeness.
It has been a long, long time since I felt embedded in my family. But I do see your point.
I am glad you are building these memories for yourself – AND for your grandkids. I find my childhood memories seem to be strongest when they involved my grandparents and aunts and uncles. So many laughs and adventures. Sending you hugs and courage for tomorrow’s parting. xoxo
❤ today is the ring of yesterday's goodbye – well said
Thinking of you as your final hellos and goodbyes come to an end in beautiful New Zealand. Sending hugs and love.
So well put as I know well the feeling. Enjoy the rest of your visits.