To get the full experience from this post, please read the short story and then watch the video.
Strawberry Letter 23 is a steamy stroll down memory lane and tribute to a special lover, Paris.
“Michael, I have had so many bad experiences in my life that I never thought I would fall in love. I was very sure I didn’t want to have a serious relationship or get involved with someone. I guess I was worried about getting hurt and didn’t trust anyone. But, with you, from the first moment I met you, I felt comfortable. When we were talking on the patio, I could see in in your eyes that you cared for me. It is hard for me to explain the feeling you give me when I look in your eyes or when you touch me…I feel like a little girl. I don’t have to worry about you or anything. I can trust you and know you’ll be there for me. This is how I feel when I’m with you.” ~ Paris
It feels like a lifetime ago since I last held and laid my loving eyes upon her. A few photos, love letters, and memories are all that remain. She is locked in my mind forever young as the beautiful 21 year old girl I fell in love with. I can still remember the night we met like it was yesterday…
I am standing near the bar just taking in the scene at one of my favorite clubs. The energy is picking up as the room begins to fill. Young men huddle together discussing the girls they have their eyes on while fueling up with enough liquid courage to make the approach. The girls are huddled in a similar fashion, but they appear more interested in one another than the boys in the room.
I watch with great interest as the boldest of the boys break from their packs to approach their favorite girls. The Saturday night torch has been lit and the ritual begins anew. I watch a few of the boys make the grand walk across the room to approach a group of girls, most are quickly rejected. Oh, the shame we all feel in that moment. I watch one of the boys return to his pack with a red face and head held low as his friends laugh at his failure. The teasing is all in good fun though. We’ve all been there, and he’ll live to fight another day.
All is not lost though. Some girls do say yes. The brave boy is cheered by his pack as a conquering hero and envied for his courage…and success. Slowly, the dance floor begins to fill as dreams of the unknown take flight. Off to my right, I notice two girls sitting at a table having drinks. All women are beautiful in their own way. One of these girls though is absolutely stunning and seems, from my perspective, to have aura of light around her. Her friend is attractive but…damn, this young woman is shining like a celestial light. It is so unusual to feel a single woman so dominating the energy in a room filled with dozens, even hundreds of other girls.
I’m not the only one that notices her. I watch as a procession of boys approach her table asking the goddess to dance or at least trying to engage her. One after the other, she dismisses them in quick order. Are these guys not paying attention? How many times do you have to see her reject these approaches before you look elsewhere? Clearly, she has zero interest in leaving her friend alone.
I watch the great ego massacre unfolding before my eyes and the scene begins to bother me. I’m not worried about the guys, they’ll recover. What bothers me is that the other girl isn’t getting any attention. It would have been great if two guys approached and allowed the girls to at least dance together and not make one of them feel less desired with hurt feelings. I finish off my whiskey and order another as I ponder the dynamic between those two girls. All the while, a steady stream of boys continue to approach that same girl and are steadfastly rejected.
I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to approach the table and ask the other girl to dance. This isn’t an act of pity, she just doesn’t deserve to be experiencing this, and I want to make it right. I want her to know that she is special too. If her friend wasn’t willing to leave her, I know she won’t leave her friend either. Still, she would at least feel some validation even as she rejects me. I make the walk to their table fully expecting a “no thank you” from her. This is normally a tough walk – the promise of what could be balanced by the embarrassment of being told no in front of several hundred people. I could feel the eyes of rejected guys watching to see if I would join them in the “no thanks” line, or if I would be worthy of their adulation.
Arriving at the table, I make eye contact with the goddess and she holds her gaze on me. Her friend barely looks at me, almost resigned to the fact that I am going to ask the goddess to dance. I imagine the goddess is preparing her “no thank you” reply. I smile inside, then ask the other girl to dance. The other girl barely even looks at me and gives me an almost rude, “no thanks”. I hadn’t really expected her to say yes but being so curtly rejected still stings. It’s okay. I’ve been rejected many times and can handle it. At least she knows that someone noticed her and this is about her, not me. I turn away to begin my own walk of shame, but the goddess quickly reaches out.
“Wait, we don’t want to leave each other alone. You should sit with us. I am Paris, so nice to meet you.”
The video tells the rest of the story of my time in Paris…
Credits:
- Love letters used in video penned by Paris
- Strawberry Letter 23 written by Quincy Jones and recorded by The Brothers Johnson
- Video Clips from x-Art
- Vision, video compilation, and love by Michael
You can find more of my videos and digital art here – Visual Arts
I’m such a nerd. I’m more enamored with the gorgeous handwriting than the strawberries and the beautiful woman. It’s a really lovely video.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment 🙂 Her letters are the focus of this post and how I wanted to share our story. Everything else (except for the very last photo) is about creating the emotional vibe I feel for the memory. 🙂
I feel for her handwriting. I’m teasing. Nostalgia is so exquisitely painful. The yearning is palpable. Love at times is much more poignant looking back. We tend to romanticize what was, leaving out the painful bits. Perhaps, if it’s meant to be, whatever that means, you’ll reconnect with her again one day. Until then you have these beautiful letters and memories to cherish. That my friend is better than nothingness.
You ever heard these lines from the Bob Seger song Travelin’ Man, “Sometimes late at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they left on my soul. Those are the memories that make me a wealthy soul.” Not so sure I agree with his conclusion. You are right about the painful bits. Everyone of my stories has an ending which I haven’t shared…saving them for a rainy day. Paris was another lifetime it seems. We touched and went our separate ways. Hope you have a wonderful night…really enjoyed your comments 🙂
Thank you, Michael. I really enjoy everything you write. It’s always a pleasure to interact with you. I appreciate you sharing a bit of your journey with us
What a beautiful tribute.
Thank you Aurora, this is one I have wanted to make for a long time. I kept waiting for the right patterns to connect in my thoughts and I’m really happy with this. Thanks for giving it a view 🙂 I’m catching up tonight and look forward to seeing what I’ve missed on your sexy blog! 🙂
Oh, I so get that- waiting for the right patterns to connect. Sometimes I have a thought of something but when I try to write it, I can’t get it. I just have to wait for something to strike and then, boom. Usually I’m driving or something, lol.
Can’t wait for your visit. 🙂
Ah yes, kindred creative spirits! 🙂 I kept hearing this song and it made me think about those letters. A little cropping and panning of the letters and few video segments…only missing some cream for those strawberries 😉
Love letters like that are so bitter sweet.
But Michael, I’m sure you could supply the cream. 😉
You just gave me a video idea… 😉
ooh! I like that! 🙂
As Tosha said the yearning is palpable. I’ll also confess to studying her penmanship. 😉 this is a very touching tribute to your love Michael. It seems you were quite in love with each other. I do hope for your sake the universe has plans to bring you back into each other’s lives.
Hi Amy, I’ve been anticipating your visit 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it and found it touching. It was a genuine attempt to capture the magic of romantic love we shared. I have wanted to do something like this…needing to work through our time again and create something special in my eyes. It sort of gives me some needed closure and place to let our memories rest and visit on occasion. She expressed so many of the things in those letters (and in person) that a man dreams of hearing from his “soul mate”. As I savor the memories and work though it all, it seems there were soul mates before and after Paris. It always felt real…
I imagine it felt real because it was. Maybe it’s not soulmates but rather mates who are meant to fulfill a purpose for a specific amount of time aka karmic chapters in your life?
But maybe they are soulmates. I’m still unraveling all my random thoughts on that subject. Looking for the best answers.
You call your relationship with her romantic love. Does that mean then that it was never ideal or complete love? And if so do you know it never would have been? From the blips I could read it sounds like you were separated not necessarily by choice. So perhaps it could have, or still may be?
Too bad love isn’t so easily understood and experienced. Gives credence to the idea of”Wish I knew then what I know now”. I may need to do some exploring around the karmic chapters…sounds promising. Regarding romantic love, the journey into and out of love…how to break the recurring cycle of divine bliss, so-called “soulmates”, and then frustration is an answer I am working towards. I suspect the layers of this answer are unique to each of us but there are probably shared themes around sustaining passion and intimacy that lead to commitment and complete love. We never made it complete love. The distance and obstacles between us were too great and, as you mention, we never got to make a run at it. Perhaps it would have been but it will never be. Our karmic chapter is closed and I am okay with that. Though I loved here deeply and intensely, life hasn’t exactly been a barren dessert since then. 😉
Much of what Tiffany says is resonating and seems to ft almost in between the lines of what I guess I think of as soul mates. I no longer really believe in one soulmate. I do believe people and relationships serve their time in our lives for a reason and I subscribe to the karmic chapters theory. It does make sense that a twin flame is that one true other half every romantic is looking for.
As to finding the ideal or consummate love I think it’s having all the necessary building blocks to a strong foundation. It all starts with a spark or chemistry for attraction and fiery passion. If that’s not there you should never get off ground floor. Then you need to recognize if the other person has a compatibility with you, shares common interests, goals, and personality traits, and if you’re both in a healthy mental and emotional status. Once that fiery passion starts to die down you must have companionship. Friendship. True love and concern for the person. They should be the one person in the world you think of when you have something to share, story, adventure, whatever, you want that person by your side. This takes work to maintain the bond and intimate ties but it shouldn’t take more than dedication. It shouldn’t be a struggle.
On a serious note: do you mean to say you haven’t remained abstinent since she left your life?!? If only you could see the look of utter shock on my face right now. 😉 thank you for indulging my long winded comments Michael. I enjoy our convos.
You make a lot of really great points in here. The way we think about “Soulmate” is often this divine, one person in the world that completes us…unrealistic and not sustainable. I am drilling down a little bit on your thoughts around where the passion fades…this IS the danger zone. Divine bliss fades and we feel that the other has pulled back or doesn’t fulfill us the way they used to. Some then begin to feel angry and pull back or look around for that divine feeling from someone else. If we have this great feeling of friendship with a lover and we have felt the heights of passion and intimacy with this person…spiritual maturity and understanding can guide us through passion’s decline from heavenly bliss. I am focusing a lot of my thoughts on how to recognize the decline of romantic love and how we can create moments where passion still peaks in waves. Even if we can’t sustain the initial high, we still need passion and intimacy (with emotional commitment) to attain complete love. I have a few thoughts around this that I will be rolling out soon and, as always, would love to get your opinion. As for your utter shock…LOL! I’m a good boy! 😀
I look forward to your future post on this subject. One more thought on this string for now though
re: looking to fill that bottomless well of need for divine bliss. We all have it. Every pretty face, every pretty piece of ass, can fill that well temporarily and when we tire of it we simply move to the next or begin looking elsewhere to fill it. Like you stated. I sometimes feel, as you’ve likely eluded to, that there are just so many beautiful women in this world for you and so little time. By that I mean, you seem to have spent a lot of time trying to fill that bottomless well of divine bliss with lust and passion from a variety of sources but maybe the key is looking for more substance. I don’t mean this specifically about you. I see it in myself as well. I can keep coming back to the same source of a sexual release like a high from a drug I’ll never get enough of but it also will never be enough to sustain me. I can enjoy a little flash of passion and lust with every pretty cock thrown my way but in the end I bore of it and need my mind engaged. I need more. The ethereal glow from climax only lasts so long. What’s left to hold my attention? My interest? For me, I know I need to find someone who can engage my mind on a regular basis – that’s the key to holding my attention and interest and I’ll never stray from that. I mean there has to be genuine attraction and sexual chemistry to begin with as well, but with the foundation of substance there may be no end to the possibilities of sexual fantasies and exploration as well as exploration on matters of the mind and heart, then wash, rinse, repeat. 🙂
Sorry for the long string of comments. I guess my brain is firing on all cylinders around this subject right now.
Sorry, to take so long to reply to this…been a crazy week. Thinking about insights I’ve learned from your writing and some of themes I’ve been exploring, I think we are coming to a similar conclusion on the bridge to complete love. For me, I know I have been in a volatile quest for romantic love. I recognized the pattern before I became aware of a higher more enduring love. Then, armed with this knowledge of romantic love and the predictable cycle, it became about finding the bridge to complete love. I agree with your thoughts leading up to the “wash, rinse, repeat theory”. This mental connection (sexual fantasies and non-sexual engagement) is an infinite source of renewal for passion and intimacy. Each part of the love triad feeds the other in a virtuous sustainable cycle. The other person has to be fully aware and appreciate these concepts as well. You are definitely on a roll, pretty lady! 🙂
Good, I made sense it seems! An unrelated question: do you use Fetlife or anything similar? If so, what’s your thought on safety etc? I was referred to Fetlife to learn/research some as a newbie. Just have some concerns on safety & wondering about someone else’s opinion on it. If you’d rather not answer that’s cool.
I haven’t checked that site out. I’ve dabbled in some other adult sites over the years but not this one. Safety is a wise concern. And, as a single woman, you will likely be overwhelmed with contacts from men. If you are able to make changes to your profile, it might be a good idea to list your profile as a couple looking for a woman to reduce the single-guy fodder while you explore and get comfortable with the site. Then, you can change it to what you really want once you have a feel for how it all works. I’ll send you an email tomorrow and we can talk offline on it if you have more questions. 🙂
I never thought about starting the profile that way. That’s a good thought. Thanks!
Michael, This is a heartfelt and touching tribute to a beautiful woman who obviously meant a lot to you. It sounds like she was a soul mate and I view this differently than others; soul mates are not necessarily lovers, though they can be. Soul mates come into our lives to remind us of our Divinity. There can be more than one. Twin flames are what I believe most are describing when mentioning soul mates, like the highlander, “there can be only one,” as the flame is a splitting of our energy…
It can be fun to wonder what could have unfolded differently, sometimes we berate ourselves when the relationship ends (ahem, or so I do). Whereas maybe what you had was all that was meant to be. Here you pay tribute to the parts that were special for you, honoring her and perhaps highlighting what you would like in a relationship.
Beautifully done, Michael! May you find what you seek. Tiffany
Thank you for the wonderful and thoughtful comment, Tiffany☺️I hadn’t really thought about it but I think you are right about what I chose to highlight and how I presented it. Sensuality is foundational for me and everything else builds from there. This is primarily a sensual video as I reflect on it. As for twin flames or soul mates…however we come to believe that there is only person in the world…it all comes back to seeking divine love from mortal souls leading into the and the loop of despair and disillusionment. I believe we can continue to celebrate Anima/Animus but only they are divine perfection and our soul mate. They come from our soul and are infinite perfection. I believe I need to reframe what is real and sustainable and what is an illusion. Hope that makes sense…just working through some thoughts you inspired 😊😘
From what I can see the biggest challenge in any relationship is that at some point, the other person is going to mirror for us where we are wounded, where we do not love or accept ourselves. Being able to see the other person as a mirror, thus a lesson, is a challenge, because we then want to blame the mirror for our problems…or leave the mirror because of what they show us.
It can be easy to fall in love, the challenge is being brave enough to stay there. This is not a shot at you, Michael, this is true for everyone. Do we leave, do we stay? If we stay, do we remain present and open or do we escape and shut down.
The more we clear our own shit vessels, the more clearly we can see ourselves and accept others.
So many of us, myself included, desire our mates and yet we overlook the spiritual implications of the work that meeting this person brings…
There is a post about the spiritual foundry on my blog that is based on this understanding… A book you might enjoy, in your spare time, is The Magdalen Manuscript by Tom Kenyon and Judi Sion. The beginning is about Magdalen and the rest of the book shows their relationship. It’s not easy to be spiritually open and honest with a partner…
Much love to you, Michael as you work through your process. We all have work to do, which is why we are all here. ❤️😘
Thank you Tiffany, I know you do a lot of writing around this topic and admire your knowledge around this. Knowledge and spiritual awareness and maturity on both sides are so important to this journey of lasting love. The transition from romantic love to either complete love or disillusionment is a path we all must walk.
This post and the comment exchanges helped me work through my own desires and seeming contradictions. Helping me to see the questions I need to ask; my last post today. So much of what I want also scares me… It’s not an easy puzzle. If it were, we’d have all solved it by now.
❤️ Tiffany
Such a beautiful tribute, Michael. Really beautiful 💕💜💕
Thank you Kitten, beautiful is a wonderful description of what I aspired to with this. 🙂
So romantic and sexy. Love letters these days are so rare!
It is a lost art for sure and one that I truly miss. Something about the penmanship and flow of a lover’s hand makes it feel more intimate than an email.
I used to write alot of letters to my exes before we got cellphones (ah the early 2000s) Nothing as romantic as those written in your post.
I don’t think couples now a days appreciate how romantic letters are.
I’m sure your letters were beautiful and are still being cherished 🙂
Oh that would be so sweet, but I don’t think so. But I still have mine he sent lol
It is amazing
Thank you 🙂 Appreciate you stopping by and checking out some of the stories and videos.
Greetings to you and Have a nice weekend
wow this is so intimate . I can tell by the exchange of beautiful words you both were deeply in love, A love like that isn’t the kind that fades. I saw she wrote several times how safe she feels with you…….For a woman that means everything. It’s a challenge to find a man you feel secure with. You both were in love and probably still are 🙂 Gorgeous tribute ❤
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, sweet Carisa :-* I like that you referenced a few of her comments that extra meaning. We were in love but there were too many bridges for us to cross to be together. Our time has passed but it was fun to visit her again with this video in my afterglow 🙂
How sexy was your relationship!? From the little glimpse that I saw in her letters it seemed like you two were so passionate and crazy about each other which is sooooo hot! You must be so romantic for her to be so passionate in her words through those letters! Just hot! 😉
Thanks for visiting Alexa, your visit and amazing comment put a real spring in my step today! 🙂 I see myself as a sensual man and savor “romantic love”. It is always special to find someone that connects with that vibe. Then, toss in a nice dose of naughty on the edges! 😉
[…] letters and cards now. An example of this behavior are the love letters floating through my video, Strawberry Letter 23. Children are resilient and life is really, really good. I smile a lot and it comes from a genuine […]
[…] letters, cards, emails, and photos from past lover and they are all such very special memories. Strawberry Letter 23 is a great illustration of […]
Wow
That is a great reaction to a story from long ago…
Not sure what else I was going to say haha
Gorgeous video
Thank you, that was definitely a labor of love.
There are those posts that you make that just beg for me to be naughty with you, and then there are those posts that fire my intellectual curiosity and press me to comment with my own experience in a similar vein, and then there are these posts where you bare your heart and soul and share moments you cherish from your past, these moments are so gentle and beautiful they could make this warrior heart melt and give way to a few tears for the romantic love you shared with Paris and eventually lost. I could feel the light you shared between you. Beautiful. Beautiful video, graceful and sensual.
The many diverse layers of Michael that float down like the rose petals in the gorgeous video are featherlight treats spilt like raindrops on your adoring followers. A single moment of what makes you Michael.
💫🌹💋💖
I had to take some time to think about your reaction and my reaction to it before responding. Why does my heart beat so fast and why do my eyes get cloudy every time I read this? There is a lot of “light energy” in this video. Few notice the flicker. Even fewer step inside and allow it to swirl around them. You felt it, Gem, and returned the energy. Your energy reaches deep inside me and reverberates through my time and space. You touched my soul.🌹💫
💖🌹💫
Great production..
love 💕 that video…
Thank you, sexy girl. 🤗😘 Hope you have a wonderful Holiday season 💫
Hey Michael..
You called me sexy..!!!
Awww 🥰
I really think 🤔 you have forgotten nita…
I was always one of your biggest fans..
Love to read your stories no matter how many times you put them out
Sexy Nita, I have always (and still do) think you are sexy! 🤗😘 I have been away for a months but look forward to reconnecting with you and sexy energy 🔥
Mmm 😋
Awww 🥰…
Michael still makes me smile 😃 to get your beautiful 🤩 comments
I thought you went offline or switched your site. Glad to see you still here. 🙂
💙
Dommage que je reçois pas plu souvent ce genre de vidéo 🌹💋👍
Thank you for this 🙏💞 I definitely need to get back to doing more of these and will in the future. I have a few that have been “private” for a while and will be releasing them soon – hope you enjoy them too.💫