i was an observer that day. i often feel this way. much less of a participant, more often a distracted observant. i watch lovers kiss in parks, holding hands for all to see. i watch children skipping and laughing with pure naivety. it’s a beauty to see. i watch time move too fast as people wave farewell. off to different coasts. the only tangible truth is the feeling of separate, a stranger in this place i’ll always be. connections fascinate me in the ways we search and long for something more than ourselves. in the ways we anticipate actions with reactions. the power plays in place of love. the fear in place of security. guards will stand all day to protect that which we…