Le Weekly #78 — Stale Bagel 💛

One quote, one word, one shoutout, one story, one neigh from Philosophical Horse and one question.

May 05, 2025

Greetings everyone. Happy Monday!

Thank you for starting the week with Le Weekly!

Take a moment to reflect on each snippet. Comment your thoughts below.

Le Quote 🗣

“Nothing is meant to stay the same. Even a stone in the riverbed changes its shape over the years, weathering from rushing water.” – Meg Wright.

(in response to me saying that Le Weekly has changed so much since day one).

Le Word 💬

palpable (adjective) a feeling or atmosphere so intense it almost seems tangible.

Le Shoutout 🧣

Yesterday, I was talking to my elderly church friend, Joy.

“It was bitterly cold last night,” she croaked gently, sounding like she was losing her voice.

“Shame, are you developing a cold?” I asked, concerned.

“No, I’m actually just coming out of it. Last week I couldn't speak,” she said.

As she said this, one of her friends walked past.

“It’s good to lose your voice sometimes,” the friend commented.

“Why do you say that?” I asked her.

“Sometimes when you talk too much, people don’t listen, but when you lose your voice, they do,” she said.

Shoutout Joy and Joy’s friend.

Le Story ✍️

I wake up early every day, most days.

I am a big advocate of watching the world wake up slowly around you.

On this particular morning, the air was even more crisp than usual.

*ping*

Just after sunrise, a notification popped up on my screen.

“I is outside,” the message said.

Michelle, who is usually a night owl, was getting the worm.

“How was the sunrise?” I asked.

“It was beautiful,” she said, “but it made me sad.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because I realised how many beautiful morning sunrises I have missed in my life,” she said.

Two days later, I was sitting in the morning sun outside a coffee shop, drinking a coffee while writing in my book.

“Living the dream,” a man’s voice said.

I looked up and smiled. It was one of my old teachers who often visits Nepal.

“Imagine this,” I said, “but in Nepal.”

And then I realised what I had said.

Yes, sure, Nepal is magical, and I can vividly remember how nice it was drinking coffee on a cold Nepalese morning, but why long for “Nepal” when I had already had “this”?

I closed my book, took a sip of coffee, crossed the street, climbed into my car and ate the half-eaten bagel waiting on the dashboard from the day before.

The simplicity of the moment moved me. Black coffee steaming in the cold morning, and half a stale bagel?

There was no need to imagine Nepal.

“Imagine this,” I said to myself.

*holds back tears*