I am a morning person. I have always been this way, even as a teenager many decades ago. It’s the time of day when I get to own the world. With everyone else still sleeping, I get to be fully myself without apology. There are a few drawbacks to being a morning person, the first of which is obvious – I’m not really a party animal when evenings roll around. After all, most parties happen late in the day.
Yes, I am on the sidewalk in front of my house in full view of any neighbour who might happen to be awake and looking out the window. I do realise that there are others who are morning people, and who like me sit in the darkness of the house with coffee in hand and watch the morning arrive. If there are others who take note of the naked man on the street, they keep it to themselves. Six-thirty in the morning isn’t really all that early as there are people who go to work at that time, but there aren’t many driving down the street which gives me time to take a photo such as this one.
So why? Why do I take this risk? To begin with, this is me. It isn’t about just talking about being a naturist, it is about actually being a naturist. For those that are aware of my trilogy of Naked Poetry books, you know that a nude image is paired with each poem. There are people in my small town of 500 who own copies of these poetry books, and they have been shared. As well, there is the autobiographical trilogy which details my journey in which being skyclad had played a vital healing role. Many copies of these books are also owned by people in this small prairie town. The series is also in the library.
When I add in the fact that virtually all of my neighbours have seen me nude in full daylight, there is nothing surprising about seeing this unclothed version of me. These neighbours invite us into their homes and return to our house for meals, morning coffee, early evening wine, and to help each other with those things that need a neighbour’s help.
All of that said, it is doubtful that I would be out on the street when the world wakes up. This really isn’t about exhibitionism.