Weekly Photo Challenge … Companionship

Companionship like love is difficult to define.  I have many companions, at the moment  one is my pen; I trust it will write the words that flow in my head in this moment and for next few pages.  I hope the ink cartridge will not run out during this time.  However in case of  breakage I have a replacement; likewise the cartridge.  

My mode of transport is a bike that is never far away to deliver  me to and from work.  It is kept in good repair and has rarely lets me down;  but if the worst should happen; I have a contingency plan.  The local public bus service is not such a dreadful option.  

Of late my camera has become a dependable friend.  By the same token I have accumulated a few electronic companions that make life a little more convenient.  Fortunately, I am a little old school and can remember a simpler life when we didn’t have to carry around a bagful of stuff to ensure that we remain in contact 24/7.  Don’t worry I am not going to blab on about the good old days; I do enjoy the benefits of reliable communication.   

I said that companionship is as a concept is complex; especially when considering companions of the humankind.  I am surrounded by them; particularly siblings and offspring who are my most loyal companions and to whom I remain true.  That is not say I wish to be beside them, day and night. or indeed nearby at all.  It is good to know they are my unconditional companions who unlike my pen, camera  and bike cannot be replaced and as we get older we are less likely to be reparable.   .   

So with the aforementioned gizmos we can keep in contact on all levels and maintain a worthy and whole companionship.  However if this tender bond breaks down and they do; in my life relationships have broken down almost irretrievably.  Life without a companion is painful and desolate.

This morning (Sunday) I went for a walk taking ony a camera to capture picture that represents the frailty of companionship.  I live near a lake and each year the ducks hatch a family of ducklings.  Each day I cycle past making a mental note of the ducklings and their number, each day the amount lessens until there are none.  Sadly the duck and her drake cannot protect their little brood from the fish that lurk in the shallows waiting for a tasty morsel.  Over the years I have not seen many clutches survive.

So this morning it would seem that the ducklings have all gone or indeed not coming out to play yet.  So I had to be content with a mish mash of images that indicate that companionship is relative and fleeting.  So I celebrate this morning and suggest that companionship is not a permanent state; neither is loneliness, but by using the tools of communication a tender balance can be achieved.