Alone

I enjoy my own company which is fortunate as I live alone.  I accept lots of invitation but not all.  I know that my supplies of energy are not as good as they used to be, so I plan how much I will do.  Last week I did very little: this week I will be doing some dog sitting so I shall be more active.

A couple of years ago someone said I was turning into a hermit, possibly because I had declined an invitation to a very noisy family lunch.  And that made me a little defensive so I now record my contacts and make sure that I maintain an interest in the outside world.  

I use my phone and make voice calls but these days FaceTime is often how I keep contact.  I don't write as many letters as I used to but I email and send e cards.  I use zoom a lot: I was in a group chat on zoom last night and have a one-to-one with a friend this morning.  I find this to be great.

But the solitary life isn't easy for everyone.  I phone several people who really don't like alone-ness and experience it as loneliness.  I feel deeply for those who are widowed and who remember days when "alone" meant being with their husband/wife and who find really being alone to be hard.