Mirror

I can see my father there,
standing upright on a beach in the sun. A thick mustache
adorns his lip.

Here is a man in his prime. Mid 20's, freshly qualified, newly married, toned and tanned. I can see my father there, 30 years ago, childless but in love. Behind him on the table top another photo, black and white this time, a man standing next to an old fashioned push bike.

Its my father again, but from 80 years ago.

The same mustache, the same chin.

I feel at once connected to the grand cycle.

I feel the history echoing back, centuries of fathers, standing upright, eyes focused on the distance.

Forward!



For a while, my head is empty. I am standing as an animal, my existence is everything and there are no questions.



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I look like my father when I have a mustache. I shaved it off straight way though, so no pictures this time. But it does look good, and if wasn't the beginning of 'no shave November' I would have kept it - the rule is you can't shave or trim, and you have to be clean shaven at the beginning. A simple game, but good male bonding. Expect to see a mustache in the years to come.

x

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