I am writing this from the comfort of my garden, enjoying that rare British sunshine with an already empty coffee cup by my side. I am thinking about the past and the future, and I am wondering: have the past couple of years changed our perception of how connected we want to be with the people we know and the people we don’t?

I am perfectly content to keep my connections to a minimum albeit I enjoy sharing tidbits of my work with the rest of the world. But, I mean those real connections. 

I am wondering if the lockdown brought me a sense of solitude that I actually craved but was too scared to admit that I need it. I don’t want to be pulled in every direction, emotionally and physically. Is it bad to admit that? 

There are few types of people: some crave the energy and get fired up from others around them and then there’s us, the quiet ones. The ones who can happily travel on their own, share a conversation with a stranger at a bus stop or at the park but not actively looking to grow their network. It can be exhausting to be emotionally invested in many people around us so I think, or I would like to think, that it makes our life just as fulfilling to keep true to ourselves.

We like peace, quiet, harmony, a few adventures here and there, but the stillness brings us clarity on what we are and what we are doing, especially if it’s related to arts. I welcome this stillness in my life and for now, I am embracing it while I can because who knows what the future brings. Today, I will enjoy my quiet sunshine in the garden with my empty coffee cup beside me.